Harry Potter and The Mirrored Veil
by sbyamibakura
Summary: PostDH. HPSS, Plans are made and more things are learned about the Endarkened and their plans, the biggest which is to resurrect Lord Voldemort. a Harry PotterObsidian Trilogy crossover
1. Resurrection sure to bring surprises

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle (a.k.a Sonya B)

Disclaimer: _Harry Potter _is owned by J.K Rowling, etc. I own this story. I make no profit from this, except for my own pleasure.

Warning: Rated M for sexual content, language, and violence, slash, etc...

Feedback/Archive: Yes to the first, for the last, email me at me at my sbyamibakura account at yahoo

Set: directly after _Deathly Hallows, _with spoilers for all seven books.

Pairing: Read and see.

CHAPTER ONE-

Resurrections sure to bring surprises, and a new understanding of something you thought you knew

He heads out the door to the front of the Great Hall. He needed to get away from everyone, to get a bearing of fresh air, and fresh mind. He starts to walk down a step when he stops quite suddenly in shock.

"A big fuss as always around you, isn't there?" The voice was quiet, and held no trace of malice from the man in black who sat on the stair, not looking up or at Harry; Severus Snape was sitting there.

"Wha—?" Were the experiences of the last few hours taking a big toll on him? "Snape?"

A small mirthless laugh. He finally turns his head to look at Harry, and Harry was floored by the sight. It was absolutely without a doubt, Severus Snape. But… He was…Harry had seen--! Where was the fang marks? Where was the blood? Where were the cold eyes?

"I did love her…"said Snape, quietly. "But…then I…it wasn't the same." He looked down confused, looking as confused as Harry felt.

"Your dead." He whispers. "I saw you die! Nagini pierced your neck! And you…and you… you revealed your secrets to me. What are you doing here, Severus Snape?" His voice cracked at the end, and Snape looks back up at him.

"I know I died." He said, his voice still soft, and void of malice. He sounded sad, and also…_something. _"I remember the pain…the resignation…I did what I set out to do…" He looks back at Harry. "I did it all for her. And then…though I resented it in the beginning…I did it for you. Green Eyes."

Dumbledore had been right all along. It had been love that caused the fall of Voldemort. If Snape had never loved Lily…what would the situation have turned out like? Why was he seeing Snape? Was he a ghost? Snape stands up suddenly, and walks up the two steps separating them, and stands in front of Harry. He was pale as always, maybe a little more pale. But, he wasn't translucent like the other ghosts. His eyes seemed to burn with some indefinable emotion that Harry could not describe. He gulps against a sudden wave of emotion. In the end…Severus Snape had been what Dumbledore said he was (and he truly was) all along.

Suddenly a pale hand darts out and touches his cheek. _Touches _him. A pale, cold hand, but alive. _Alive._

Just as suddenly as the hand touches his cheek, it just as soon darts away, back on the side of the uncertain and (for once) emotional man, who was supposed to be dead. Who _was _dead, but who was…what on Merlin's name…?

The shocked silence sounds for a few minutes, and neither could speak a word. The world could have been crashing around them, the school could have blown up, and neither would have noticed. Harry was trying not to have a nervous breakdown, and the other…well…Harry could not have said what a dead man was thinking. All he could do was look into those bottomless black eyes, while Snape looked at him. ...His eyes, he relented, they were after all his mother's eyes…that must be what he was seeing…he felt a different kind of sadness that wasn't the lingering one that was still with him with the fresh deaths of so many loved ones. It hadn't been reported to the _Daily Prophet _yet, that paper was back on track due to the temporary Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt who seemed destined to take the post. Rita Skeeter was suspended, and Luna and her dad were running the _Quibbler _again. Gringotts seemed to be getting back under control, and everyone had been hearing celebrations coming from Hogsmeade as well as Hogwarts.

"You're being celebrated now. Everyone knows what you did. I'm glad they know. You deserve to finally get some recognition."

Snape blinks in surprise at the sudden words. Harry himself was surprised, still in shock, utter shock, but surprised. He fought down the sudden urge to show some affection for the man who should be (_definitely should be) _dead, and fidgets a little.

"…Thank you." The words were so very quiet that Harry could barely hear. But he did. He gulps. "There was a bluish light from something small…I couldn't really see it." Snape said suddenly. "I…opened my eyes, and there was no Dark Lord there, and…the snake was gone, and you were gone. I saw a small little Ring glowing; I went to pick it up, and as soon as I touched it, it disappeared."

A ring? Could it be the ring that Harry had lost in the woods? The resurrection stone? But, if so… how could it get to the Shrieking Shack with Snape? How was Snape here in the first place? He was real. He was flesh, he was no ghost. He was _real; _he wasn't a shadow like his parents had been, like how Sirius and Lupin had been. He could still feel that cold sallow hand touch his cheek.

He couldn't remember moving, but the next thing he knows; he was embracing the man in front of him. Snape looks down in surprise, a brow raised. "Thank you for all you did for me. Even when I didn't know it…even though I always resented you. Even if—"

The embrace was suddenly returned by two hesitant hands at his back, and then they grasp. "—I resented you because you were proof of James and Lily. That you were Potter's, and…I couldn't stand that. I couldn't stand the rift that I had created between Lily and me. I had always done what I could for her; I had always…loved her." His words were muffled as Harry was still embracing the man, and he could feel the long hands clasping tighter suddenly. "It wasn't until a time ago that I could let go of my notion of love for her as that, and love her for what she had been for me. How she had been there for me. She was the best woman I had ever known, Harry." He whispered. "I had never known any better, and she was the best friend I could hope for. I am so sorry that you never knew her; that the Dark Lord's machinations took her from you. I tried so hard to do what I could to protect her, and it wasn't enough. I felt so much guilt. There was no way that I could allow you to be unprotected, even if I felt resentment at seeing the double of James Potter. I had thought…I had never wanted to see him for anything else because he _took _her away, and I hated him more because I knew that I had caused it, I had been the one to push her away, called her what I did…" Harry was startled to feel wetness drip down onto him.

Severus Snape was crying in his arms. Feeling a emotion he couldn't name at that, he just continues to hold on and let the man, the man who by all rights was absolutely dead, express what he could not ever. While all this emotion was shocking, Harry had the feeling that he was just as snarky and sarcastic, as he could be kind and worried about someone he cared about. And Lily he had most definitely cared for…

"I had to make amends. I had to atone for what I had done. I was so sorry, Harry. Hearing the bit about the Prophecy…I had wanted to be rewarded for something good done, I had wanted to be liked, and to be loved, but I quickly realized that the Death Eater circle, and the Dark Lord were no place to be. The Dark Lord knew nothing of love."

Had the resurrection stone somehow activated? Had it managed to create more than a whisper of a person? Snape seemed to stop crying, if he even noticed, and Harry could feel his hands calm down, although neither made an attempt to move away from the other. This surprised him, but he let the feelings that were washing through him go through their course. It was unfamiliar, and there was still the shock. But, there was also the feeling of sadness from Snape, the remorse, and the feeling that Harry had, that he needed to comfort him. This man, whom understood all too well the pain and terror from the now dead Dark Lord. No one could understand what those situations were like, except for him. Not even Ginny, sweet Ginny, who had been possessed, but spared the true horror and violence of the megalomaniac who was scared to die.

He should be with Ginny, embracing _her. _Not with this man, not with Snape, who was a miracle, a miracle he couldn't think to tell anyone about yet. It was only fitting that he would be with Ginny, and he could imagine in…marrying, having children of their own, being with her. But, already he could see in the now the resentment that he didn't really notice was there until now. She simply _couldn't _understand. She could try. And he felt guilty for feeling resentful, but he couldn't ever talk to her about what he had gone through under the hand of Lord Voldemort. And she never remembered what she went through. Just a shell…just a puppet… Sweet, nice, _normal, _but not…

"We're alike." Harry rasped suddenly. "You and me. And even Vo—You-Know-Who. We all didn't exactly have the best childhoods did we?"

"No. …Albus told me about your situation with your relatives, and I know now that they weren't…suitable." Snape knew his Aunt Petunia, and so he knew of her behavior.

"Well…you knew—know my Aunt, so obviously you know what she was like." His voice muffled against Snape's black cloak, which was surprisingly clean, no blood marred it either. Snape makes a noise against him, and quite suddenly Harry felt himself relax, _truly _relax for the first time in a long time. He wasn't sure why, and the how, and personally he didn't feel like thinking about it. He decided to just relish the feeling while it lasted. Before the wave of sadness would toss him in again. And it was after a couple of blissful moments that he realized what Snape had called him; he called him _Harry._

And he had a feeling that nothing was going to be the same from this moment on. Even with the weight of everything that had happened these last months, these last hours after killing Voldemort, after trying to find sleep and getting none, after trying to find some solitude. …And finding Snape on the stair, a man who had to finally let go.

"You know I went to the Headmaster's office, and I didn't see your picture in there." That was true. When he, Ron, and Hermione had went in, all the other Headmaster's and Headmistress' were all there, clapping in their portraits, but Snape didn't have one. And after the events, of the startling revelation that he truly was Dumbledore's man, would make you think that he would be there. …But he wasn't. Harry didn't notice until just now, but it was true. He couldn't remember seeing Snape's face anywhere in that, and it wasn't like the man blended in with a crowd.

"Harry?" asked the other man softly. It jolted Harry to hear him say his name, his first name! And there wasn't a hint of malice or hatred. Just a touch of sadness.

Harry tries to move his head up a bit, and he looks into the eyes of the man which seemed to glow as he looked. So many things he once thought about Snape had blown away to the wayside.

"Yes?"

They looked at each other; Snape moves his head, to apparently say something…

"Harry?" That wasn't from Snape. They both move their heads from each other, and look at the large door where the familiar female voice was coming from. Harry feels the hands at his back unlink and move away from him. The cold hands had made him feel surprisingly warm. He also felt disappointment. Snape takes a step back.

"You should go." He said, still without a trace of anger.

"What about you?" Harry asked him. What would the man do now?

"I think that I will—attempt—to apparate past the grounds." Snape said.

"You can't make it that far in time, and…"

"You don't need to be seen with me, and I…I do not even know how I got here. I felt the sweet oblivion, and I died. How did I get here?" The question didn't seem to be pointed at Harry or anything, just a wonder.

Harry grasps the hand that had touched his cheek and squeezes it, causing the man to raise his brows. He didn't seem to be mad however…

"Stay." Harry whispered.

Snape nods.

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To say that people were surprised was to say the least. The news spread fast, and one of the Gryffindor third years ran into the Great Hall, and moments later there was a thunderous roar. Snape looked at the door with open distress. He looks at Harry, the two of them not noticing the astonished looks of Ron and Hermione, whom Harry had told first. (Hermione had been the one calling for him, and they all had been wracking their brains trying to figure out what could possibly have happened. Snape had been without-a-doubt _dead. _Harry felt the life slide out of his fingers.) Harry glances at the door, then at his friends.

"I'm going to find a quiet place—if I can." He said to his best mates. Hermione nods, looking quite thoughtful (even more so if possible) and Ron looked really unsure, a lot of events not so long ago were probably going through his mind.

He turns to look at Snape. He wondered if it was a sign of his becoming a man that he wanted to say Severus.

"Is that all right with you?" he asks. Snape nods, and without another word they start walking off. As they do, he sees Ginny heading their way. He _really _didn't want to have to talk to her at the mo'…so much stuff had happened…she heard about what had happened, the miracle, and she looked a little in shock. She looks to Harry. He shakes his head, he knew what she was going to ask for, and he couldn't.

"Can't talk right now, Ginny. Need to find somewhere private." He said. He knew he said it rather short, but he was feeling impatient, and ready to get away (and get Snape away from) all prying eyes, (except Ron and Hermione, maybe). She looked a bit annoyed as they walk past.

"I don't think Miss Weasley wanted that answer from you, Harry." Snape said, sounding a bit louder than he had a few minutes ago. Harry shrugs and looks at the former professor/headmaster, not showing the warm feeling he had when Snape called him that. He had no idea of the astonished looks from the three behind them in the hallway, part of the shock of seeing Snape alive, part of it their interaction, and the other part hearing Snape say Harry's name, and without a hint of loathing in it.

"Do you really want her tagging along like a lil' puppy?" he says. And a small smile starts to bloom on the older man's face. It was a startling change. So much had happened! And Snape was alive, and he wasn't loathing him, and he actually _smiled. _What on Earth was going to happen next?

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_I need a place for me and Snape to have some privacy._

_I need a place for me and Snape to have some privacy._

_I need a place for me and Snape to have some privacy._

A door suddenly opens, and Harry takes it, and gestures for Snape to enter first.

"After you." Snape gives him a calculating look, a nod, and then walks inside. Harry follows and the door shuts and disappears behind them. The Room of Requirement was the best place that Harry could think of at such short notice. He takes a moment to survey the room.

It was a dark room; there was a fireplace up ahead, which was surrounded by two slightly faded, but fine looking, armchairs and a small table. The fire was unlit. The carpet was a very, very dark green, nearly black. Or maybe it was black… There was a bookshelf on the left wall of the room, and a small door in the left corner of the room. There were also pictures and Slytherin hangings, and the like on the wall, there was a small looking dresser with a Cup and a few other things on it. There was a small loveseat, a dark green the same as the armchairs, and there were two doors on either side of the fireplace, the doors were wooden. There was also a picture hanging above the fireplace.

Harry looks around for a moment, before turning to Snape who looked a little baffled. He turns to Harry, and his brows furrow.

"Just what did you ask the Room for, Harry?" asked Snape. He looked a little bewildered, the shock seemed to have fade a little, although Harry himself was still trying to get over the shock of hearing Severus Snape calling him by his first name, and treating him like a actual person. Harry looks into his face, the eyes were no longer dead looking, but Harry couldn't see what was in their depths. It was…unfamiliarity. Mixed in with bewilderment, shock, and confusion. As well as a feeling of…happiness.

"I just asked for a place for privacy, is all." Harry said.

Snape gives him a calculating look. "You didn't ask for my private quarters?"

Harry shakes his head. "No. I didn't know you could—this is your rooms?" That surprised Harry. He didn't think that they would look like this. He hadn't thought a lot about them, but when he did, he always imagined bats and cobwebs or something. He was surprised that the Room took them here of all places. It really did a lot more than he ever gave it credit for, he didn't think Hermione even knew about this kind of thing until Neville found a way to the Hog's Head.

Snape nods at him; he turns his head to survey the surroundings once more.

"Yes. Yes, they are. They even look the same since I had been here last…I never took Albus' room…the Headmaster's room. It didn't—feel right." He glances at Harry, who nods, understandingly. With the aid of those memories that Snape had given to him, as well as the feelings he understood all too well. Snape had loved Dumbledore as much as he did, if not more so. He had known him much longer; the man had to be like a father to him. From what Harry could surmise, anyway. And to have to kill the man… it must have been so very difficult.

Harry grabs onto Snape's wrist suddenly, and drags him over to one of the armchairs; not seeing the new look in the man's eyes, it was as if a small fire was burning there, starting to burn hotter. Harry hovers over the chair until the man sits himself firmly in it, before moving to the other one, and sitting in it quickly, looking over at the former Professor immediately. He didn't know why, maybe it was because the man should be dead (_was _dead) and now he seemed more vulnerable than Harry could ever remember (and more than he had ever been before, Harry suspected), that he felt an obligation to help the man.

To _protect _him. It wasn't as if the man was a _burden _but Harry felt this overwhelming urge to keep the man safe, and protected. He had no idea where it was coming from, not that it was a necessarily bad thing (even if it was awfully new and a tad bit frightening), but he still felt it all the same. The man seemed to need someone. What could that _do _to the mind? The man had been _dead, _and now all of a sudden, he was alive, and things had dramatically changed over the last hours.

It seemed like something that could possibly hurt the psyche, if left alone and unattended. That was another reason that Snape didn't need to be left alone right now, he needed human contact, and it didn't seem like Snape wanted any…except for him. (Another startling concept, still). There was still the burning question of just how Snape had somehow managed the feat that had been deemed utterly impossible (and for good reason!), and had risen from Death's clutches into Life's embrace. Harry really needed to find that Stone again…

He glances at Snape who was looking at nothing in particular, and seemed to be deep in his own thoughts. Harry didn't know what he was thinking, and it might not be the best for the man to think right now, so he called out suddenly,

"Kreacher!" Snape looks up a tad startled as the House-Elf appears before him and Harry in the middle of their chairs. The House-Elf looks at his Master, then sees Snape and his eyes widen. Harry shakes his head. "It's alright, Kreacher. He's good now…and alive." He shrugs a little, unsure as what to add to that footnote. "Would you mind getting us something to eat from the kitchens? He's not…"he glances at Snape who was staring at the House-Elf. "…ready to see other people yet."

Kreacher nods, and with a 'Yes, Master Harry.' He disapparates, and Snape then turns and looks at him, a brow raised. "Well…maybe I shouldn't have spoken for you, Profess—"

But Snape shakes his head, his slightly greasy black hair hitting the sides of his own face. "No…you were right, Harry. I'm not…I just cannot yet." Snape said. Harry understood. He understood all too well the overwhelming feeling, and the uncomfortable-ness of people staring at you, seeing you, but really seeing _you. _He was better accustomed to it than when he first came to Hogwarts, but Harry imagined that Snape must be feeling overwhelmed and anxious about the whole thing over all. He still needed time to…adjust.

Because no matter what had happened, no matter that Snape had died, Severus Snape was alive now and he needed to be able to _live _again. And Harry would help him do that. It was the very least he could do; the man had after all, put up his own life on the line for nearly seventeen years, had risked his life for Harry's, had wanted to see Lily's son safe, had really been Dumbledore's man through and through, like he, Harry, was.

Harry felt a sudden kinship with the man who had dealt with the same kind of horrible background that he did, maybe even worse. The feeling that he had for wanting to protect the man seemed to double in its intensity, and grow into something hotter.

He shakes off the sudden overwhelming feelings, and takes his wand and lights the fire which immediately gives off warmth, and casts shadows upon the wall, making some things look giant, and others seemed to shrink to almost nothingness. It was silent in the room, not entirely uncomfortable, until Kreacher suddenly appears back with a _pop. _Harry takes the tray from the House-elf, and serves Snape himself as Kreacher disapparates; He pours a cup of tea that had a nice minty smell to it, and hands it to the former professor. He accepts the cup, and takes a sip. A moment later Harry pours his own cup of tea, and nearly scalds himself when he hears a quiet; 'Thank you.' It came from the other man, obviously. Harry looks at him for a moment, unsure what to say or do, but when Snape just continues on drinking his tea, and nibbling on a sandwich; Harry decides to do the same.

And he does.

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_Dinnertime_

"…Do you feel up to going?" he asks the other man.

The other man chooses not to answer in that moment, but pulls a book from near the top of the bookshelf, (quite well worn), and looks at the younger, and shorter, man.

"…I think I will just read my book, and take dinner down here." The other man said quietly. In a louder tone he says; "Much better than having to deal with the stares and mutterings of other people, not to mention obnoxious children."

Harry nods, wondering if Snape put him in the latter category. Probably, knowing the man. They had passed a few hours by quiet talking. It was mostly filled with Harry filling in Snape on the events since his death (still weird), and some things before. Harry started to tell Snape about the Horcruxes and the like. The man was a little impressed. He didn't go right out and say it, but Harry could see it in his eyes. Maybe he was just learning to read the man better since they weren't sniping at one another, but he seemed to be able to read Snape a bit better now. But at the same time, he wasn't sure if other people would be able to, and he hoped that wasn't arrogance on his part.

And slowly…Snape started to tell him things about his own childhood, and the abuse he also had to deal with when he was younger, at the hands of his _family. _His mother was too afraid of his father, Muggle or not, to really do anything about it. Harry understood all too well what it was like to deal with family who never treated you right. All too well…

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_Midnight_

Harry looks at the clock in disbelief. Had all that time really gone by that fast? He had sat listening to Snape for a long while, and then picked up the thread when Snape trailed off, then looked at him, as if unsure as if he was getting bored or not. Harry was, all things considered, having a _blast. _He had no idea that he could have such a wonderful time speaking to the man, (one who should be dead as well!), if someone had said a long time ago, or hell, even _three days ago, _that he would be enjoying himself with Severus Snape, well…he'd say you were crazy, and get out his wand just to be safe. Crazy people!

He had sent Kreacher a few hours earlier, to tell Ron and Hermione where he was at, and who he was with, so they (and the rest of Hogwarts) wouldn't worry. He didn't tell them what he was doing, or anything, he felt that this should be kept private. And he was glad he could have something kept private for once. A someone…?

It had been a crazy few hours, it was now the next day technically, what would happen in the morning? What would he do? What would Snape do? What could happen from here? There were a lot of questions burning in Harry's mind, and he was unsure of the next step. He _did _know that he would go wherever the former Professor/Headmaster would go. Someone had to be there to protect the man and keep him safe, didn't they? And…it seemed like that person would be him. It didn't feel like an obligation _or _a burden, but it _did _feel like something special, at the same time it was surprising, and he was unsure where his newfound…friendship (?) with Snape would take him. The man had shown Harry in these last few hours that he was still quite the snarky and sarcastic man that people were familiar with, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, he was also showing Harry things that he had never seen before, had never seen from _him _before.

He shakes his head, trying to combat the enveloping thoughts away, and looks over at the man who had settled himself down on the small loveseat a short while ago, saying he wished to stop being pestered by the Golden Boy, and wanted to read. Harry left him to it, although he did not leave the man's quarters. The fire was starting to burn down as Harry looks at the man.

_Asleep._

The man looked younger and older as he slept, a paradox, but true nonetheless. The lines on his face that were usually present when the man was awake, aware, were less defined. There was a little more tightening around the mouth, but overall the man looked…Harry was unsure of things, no, of _himself, _as he looked. He was unsure of what the unfamiliar emotion rolling around in him was. Why was he suddenly so fascinated with, and couldn't stop staring at, Snape? Even if he _was _alive now? For some reason it felt like things unsaid between them, something familiar, almost tangible in its intensity.

The man had taken off his thick robes which he was so famous for billowing in, and his damned garment with the many buttons and was just wearing black pants, and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. The white surprised Harry, as he had never see the man wear anything but black, and knew that it was the favorite for the man to wear. His head lay against the arm of one end of the sofa, his hair moved softly across the man's face as he turns ever so slightly in sleep, muttering something incoherently. His legs crossed towards the ankles.

Harry just sits in the chair for a moment or two before he jumps up, realizing that he was staring at the man a little more than was perhaps decent. He walks over to the man, and frowns at the man still in his boots. He removes his wand (his Holly/Phoenix one, he still had the Elder Wand at the moment though.), and waves it, causing the man's boot to come off with ease and sit themselves side by side next to each other, in front of the loveseat. Harry then waves his wand again, and conjures a blanket, he takes it and covers up Snape himself, as he wraps it around the man's shoulders, and he finds himself leaning in closer, staring at the man.

He was by no means the most handsome or beautiful person, but… Harry wasn't really thinking of what it meant to be thinking of what the man looked like, or why he couldn't stop looking at him. Besides the lines of age, his hair was fairly long and greasy, Harry wondered if it was due to being around potions all day, (and that left the question of if Snape was still fiddling around with potions.), and his nose was definitely big. But, it didn't bother Harry like it used to, or maybe as much as it should.

He finds himself looking at the thin mouth, and long fingered hands, stained yellow from potions, and shakes his head against the onslaught of something unfamiliar. He quickly stands, and walks around the couch, he hesitates, then for a moment kneels down, one hand resting on his forehead, and the other lying on the couch, as he looked down at the man. He actually looked peaceful, something Harry hadn't exactly seen while the man was awake, and he had a feeling that the man wasn't familiar with the feeling, at least for awhile now.

"What have I got myself into?" he asks aloud to no one, Snape doesn't make a sound or movement. "What have you gotten yourself into, Severus—Snape?"

He didn't receive an answer, he didn't expect one.

But, he would have been surprised with what Snape would have answered, if he had answered.


	2. In a week's time Part one

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc's: Look at chapter one.

CHAPTER TWO-

In a week's time things will change more than you can imagine, Part I

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_Day Two- Morning _

He could feel the eyes of people on him, much more than usual. Even more than when he became impromptu Headmaster, _under Voldemort's orders of course. _Yeah, right. The eyes scalded, they burned, and he could feel his lungs constricting, trying to get more air than they could. He turns to Harry and tries to convey what he was feeling, without speaking; he couldn't speak at that moment.

Harry's brows furrow in a look of concern. (Towards him, even. He was still unsure of what to make of that, or of these new things that he didn't want to think of…) He leans in towards him, and barely glances at Weasley or Granger.

It was breakfast time, and the Great Hall was unusually filled to the brim with student, teacher, and people alike. But, it wasn't just because of the recent battle with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Severus knew that people were all there. No, he knew that it was because of him, and because of Harry. It seemed surprisingly easy to call him that, and now that he was, (and could); he didn't want to go back. What they were moving forward to, he couldn't guess. But, he could at least be along for the ride of it all.

He was alive! And he knew that he had been dead, the pain alone from those piercing fangs, the blood that went everywhere except for in him, the fading light, and seeing Harry as the last person he ever saw. He looked into those eyes, Lily's eyes, but seen Harry in them, not her.

And Harry had been the very first person he had seen coming back. Back…How had he come back? When no one else had been ever been able to, when it had never been successful before. And why him? Of all the people's in the world, Muggle and Wizarding alike. He was now the other half to Harry's really…in the Magical sense, of course. Harry was the only person to survive _Avada Kedavra, _the Killing Curse. And he, Severus Snape, was the only person to come back from the dead.

His impressions of the _afterlife _were vague at best. He could remember shapes, and voices of people. And he could have sworn that he heard Lily speaking to that mutt Black. He headed towards that voice! It was her voice! But, as soon as he got near, they were gone, and he was alone, all alone. It was a familiar but hurtful thing that he had been through for so long now, that he wore it like a second skin.

When he gets up to their spot, Lily and Black disappear. And he sees Harry—Potter. He was still Potter at that time to him, not so very long ago. He knew it was Harry, he knew it in himself very completely. He could see the scar that marred the boy's forehead, the green eyes that he gained from Lily. And it was something besides the superficial things that he noticed. He could feel the magic emanating from the boy-man, and Harry reaches a hand out towards him. He stares at it for a long moment, but feels no ill intent and he didn't want to be alone…When their hands touch everything goes from blurry white, to complete blackness. Then comes the searing pain. He knew the pain in his neck once more, but blood did not flow this time, and when he looks up he sees…he sees…

He couldn't remember, and it seemed like a very important thing to remember too. He had to see if he could pull it out of his Pensieve again. Last night, when Potter went to the loo resulted in nothing but frustration, and confusion, as he couldn't get his own memory out and into the damned thing. What the thing was for to begin with!

He did remember awakening suddenly, as if the time in between (the renewed pain and the blankness) had been nothing. The Shrieking Shack was as dull, and ripped up as ever. There was evidence from where the Dark Lord, and where that damned snake had been. He shakily stands, his mind still reeling at that time, unable to process the information of what had happened, not really. He had thought at that time, that he had just lost quite a bit of blood, and must get to the Hospital Wing immediately. His mind had been jumbled, forgetting that he had to take flight from the castle as his colleagues still thought him nothing but a double crossing murderer who wanted to harm them and others, Harry especially. This was far from truth.

He takes stumbling steps forward, trying to regain his bearing. He just barely keeps himself from tripping over a heavily scratched little drawer. The smell inside was musky, and filled with a stench that seemed to come from elsewhere. It smelled of evil, if such a thing could really have a smell. _Lord Voldemort's smell. _While he never associated a real smell with the Dark Lord, this had the definite feel of him. The pain he would feel shoot up his body whenever he looked at the man, or was called by the man. But, he never gave him the satisfaction of seeing him be afraid. At least during these later times.

He finally manages to get out of the Shack, but feels his equilibrium shifting. He couldn't keep his balance. The streets of Hogsmeade were empty; no noise was coming from the village, as if everyone had disappeared over night. (He now knew that the residents that had survived, which were a small few, were in Hogwarts.) He takes a faltering step

forward, feeling the click of his heel as if magnified a hundred times, things were going black again. And he was falling.

He happens to look up as he falls and…cannot see the person/thing there! It was another blur like before. It felt like the same one from before. This time when he awakens, he finds himself lying on the Hogwarts grounds, directly in front of the front steps. He pulls himself up to a sitting position, cursing the overly bright Sun as it beamed down its rays. After a few moments, and a deep breath, he finds himself standing. The dizzy feeling had left, and he felt like his balance was fine again. He takes a few steps forward; he falters, and stops when he hears a couple of students. They were heading towards the other way, going further down the grounds, not near him and the entrance. He could still make out what they were saying;

"We'll have to hurry and get these things from Hagrid's hut; we can't miss seeing Harry Potter!"

"I know! We'll hurry! We can't miss the Savior of the Wizarding World! He saved us all from You-Know-Who!"

They take a few more steps forward, and he stood still, taking in all what they were saying.

"Yeah! But, y'know what I heard? I heard that Snape was on our side all along!"

"What! No way! He killed Dumbledore! Who said something like that?"

"Harry Potter did! I heard him talking to a whole bunch of the teachers, and some of the students were there. I wanted to stand and listen, but I was getting pushed forward—"

He couldn't hear anymore, and he didn't have to. That alone was enough to put him into shock. He manages to go up a few of the steps before his knees buckle, and he is forced to sit down. He would wait until he was strong enough to stand, and then he would…

What would he do? Go? Say?

"A big fuss as always around you isn't there?" he says to himself aloud, quietly.

He could see Harry still looking at him, waiting for him to come back down to reality, apparently. He licks his suddenly dry lips.

"Let's get out of here." He says to the boy-who-lived.

Harry looks at him, and nods. They get up.

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The walk down to the dungeons was a quiet one, and Severus was grateful that Harry didn't say anything, knew that he needed the silence for the moment. When they had gotten up from the table in the Great Hall there was a stir, and people started to murmur amongst themselves. Harry had leaned over to Granger and Weasley and whispered something to them. They glanced at him, and then nodded. Simultaneously. He didn't know how Harry dealt with that. He also ignored the blatant stares and whispers from the other people in the Hall. They, he and Harry, take the back door behind the Staff table and walk out. He, along with Granger, Weasley, as well as the other teachers were sitting at the table.

He seen Harry deal with the stares of his peers, and do it with a less nervous air than before. He was getting more used to it now, not to say that he was reveling in it, because Severus knew that wasn't true. The Harry Potter that he had thought of before—before he died, before he was forced to have those talks with Albus shortly before his death—was completely different from the one that he thought he knew. He didn't know him at all. At least until now. He was seeing the side of Harry that not many people got to truly see. He knew that immediately, and he knew that Harry was surprised about the things that he was learning about him, Severus Snape.

He was letting Harry see through those walls that he had so carefully constructed for the general public and nearly everyone else as well. It was a front that he had honed from years of spying, having to do so to protect his own life as well as others, Harry included. His life had been an unhappy one from a young age. His father would never be father of the year, and he had gotten accustomed to Tobias Snape giving him a beating when he (his father) felt like he deserved it.

Tobias was not very fond of Magic, magical folks really. He was jealous of them, being able to do magic, and he couldn't. So he took it out on those closest to him, and while his mother was a witch, her powers seemed to drain out when Tobias was his meanest. His temper was quick, and always at the surface. That wasn't to say that the man was always that way, though he was that way a good majority of the time, he also could be—on occasion—nice to his wife and child. And Severus had vague memories of infrequent trips to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner, or to Diagon Alley.

His mother, Eileen, was an accomplished potions Master, and witch (even if she couldn't use her powers in those brutal moments), and she taught Severus about a lot of things when he was younger, and got his interests in Potions, as well as the Dark Arts. She always told him that they were not something to fear, and just because some of them were dark in nature, didn't necessarily mean that they were evil. In fact, she said, it was the wizard behind the spell that made a spell truly good or evil. Magic was neutral, until it was introduced to other sources.

By the time he went to Hogwarts, he already knew a plethora of magic, _Dark _and white alike. He was also a most skilled Potioneer, as well as a fair Legilimens. He becomes a thousand times better by his third year, and it was a skill that aided him more times than he cared to remember in the upcoming years…

Harry suddenly comes to a stop, and Severus stops as well. Blinking for a moment, he raises a brow at Harry, wondering what the suddenness of the stop was. Harry points forward, and Severus turns his head to see his quarters directly in front of them. They were already through the dungeons. He didn't think that it went that quickly. He didn't realize that he had been in reverie that long.

He takes out his wand, and waves it in circles that, at first glance, seemed to have no pattern at all. They _did _in fact have one, but it wouldn't be easily guessed, because he had thousands of variations that he memorized, and alternated them every so often. That and the fact that he was muttering certain very complex Latin spells to de-ward his rooms, made him feel a feeling of ease that he didn't often feel. He didn't also place the extra ease as the cause of the young man standing adjacent to him, he ignored that completely.

It was a confusing manner, especially as such a big matter as _death, _and _finally _able to start to place Lily in a different way. It wasn't very much, and he still loved her very much. She had been the reason to begin with that he did what he did, and for so long. It wasn't until _much _later that he actually did it for Harry himself. He didn't think Harry knew that either. But, he wasn't able to actually say that yet. His only companion as of late was Harry, and he wasn't exactly unhappy with that either…

He finally finishes the intricate incantations on the doors, and feels the dissipation of the magic surrounding his quarters. He flicks open the door with his wand, then turns to Harry.

"After you, Potter." He says. Harry raises a brow. He smirks at him, feeling the familiar feeling envelop him as he does so. "What? Scared to let me go last? I am surprised and shocked that you don't trust me, Harry." He could feel stillness as soon as he says that, and wonders why he said that. The boy-man didn't exactly have the motive, or reason to trust him completely. Harry knew that he had always been Albus Dumbledore's man, and all the things that he went through to protect Lily's son, and later, to protect Harry, but other than that, he really didn't have a reason to trust him, although the Dumbledore thing might just be enough for Harry to trust him…maybe.

Harry takes a step forward, towards the open door, and turns to look at Snape.

"I do trust you." He tells him quietly, causing the other man to feel shock course through his body quite easily. "You've done so much for me, and not even just that; but for the Wizarding and Muggle world in general. I…don't know how I can repay something like that.—and just know that I would never have told you this over a year ago! Hell, I would never have told you _anytime_! Things…have changed a lot over the course of a year haven't they?"

Severus nods slightly, his hair whipping around his sallow face. "It has. Much more than I can say. I hope you know that."

Harry nods in return. "I do know, Severus." Both of them seemed very surprised about that. A second or two passes and Harry walks inside.

"You do, don't you, Harry?" he says quietly, to himself. "You see rather well through these walls, just like _she _did. How much are you two alike that I did not see?"

He walks through the door, and felt another moment come and go, and a feeling that something big was going to happen soon. What, he wasn't sure, but he knew that it would be something very interesting, and would shape the way of things to come.

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A/N: This A/N is after I read my reviews, and seen just how many people are on Story Alert waiting for this, which is astounding! Also, if you notice, the POV has changed in this chapter, and I hope you see the pattern up ahead. I didn't plan for it to come out this way, but I am very happy with it. Stay tuned for Chapter Three, which is already done, and which I am just working on further chapters to keep myself ahead. (I am already finishing up Chapter Six, which is a defining chapter, and I had always planned it to be…just not exactly like it's coming out, though I'm super happy with it.)


	3. In a week's time Part two

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See Chapter One.

A/N: I am glad to see that I am not the only one who was a little disappointed with the Epilogue of Deathly Hallows, and the gag factor with the Ginny/Harry. Xx

Also, I like to think of this as the, could be, eighth part to the Harry Potter series. Definitely more slash-a-fied, and has much more Severus in it. Who could want more? Enjoy!

CHAPTER THREE-

In a week's time things will change more than you can imagine, Part II

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_Day Three- Evening _

He pants as he hurries down the silent and cold corridors, so far down below the castle. He was glad that the person he was hurrying to see wasn't there watching him hurry down like a crazy person. He could only imagine what he would say. Probably along the lines of; 'Why in Merlin's name are you running down here like the Dark Lord was on your tail? For what reason would you be doing something that inane and stupid? Really, Potter, and I didn't think anyone could be so idiotic. But, I believe you've thrown that out the window!' Except that he might say _Harry _now like he has been, and not Potter.

He feels his stomach give a little funny flutter. Again. It wasn't the first time in these first few days since he felt it like that. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. If he had _really _thought long and hard about it, then he would be _very _surprised, taken aback, maybe disgusted (which he would have no real reason for feeling), and realize that the feeling that he had for a certain Weasley girl was not as long lasting as he had once thought.

He comes to a sudden halt as he turns the corner, and sees Ron and Hermione standing near the door which Harry knew led to Snape's rooms. He had (in either a very Gryffindor-ish moment, or an extremely stupid one) called Snape by his first name once. Only once, and neither said anything about it. And Snape didn't seem too upset about it either. Maybe he was seeing that Harry really was grown up now? And that maybe Harry could call him by _his _name like he was calling Harry by his? Something like equals?

He stops for a minute, seeing what they would say. He sees Hermione with her wand, and Ron start to get his out before Hermione shakes her head. Although it made him feel a little outside of their strong friendship, Harry was glad that they had found each other, and were happy. And he couldn't really couldn't complain when he was spending every moment possible with Severus—Snape. He had slept in the Gryffindor tower again, and could remember the anticipation he felt the moment he awakened; he could go see _him! _

That causes him to freeze up a bit, and makes him strain a little harder to hear his best mates speak to one another, the wards still up (even if they weren't visible, but Harry knew they were there, as he felt them, had seen Severus dismantle them.) however.

"So what do you think? D'you think you can take them down?" Ron asked Hermione, who was looking closely at the doors, concentration clearly on her face.

"…I don't know. Snape is a master of spells, as we've seen," said Hermione. _And read, _thought Harry. "He'll have made it as complicated as possible, and there are so many variations of just one spell for one part of a ward, so…it'll be a challenge."

Why did they want to invade Snape's quarters anyway?

"Well we've got to get in there! This shite has got to stop! Harry is spending way too much time with that old grease ball anyway, even if he is 'good'—"

So that was it…

"Ron keep you're voice down! And I don't think that it's necessarily a bad thing, I just want to check up on Harry, and…I'd like to see how the Professor is doing." She added quietly.

"What?!" Ron roared. Hermione smacks him with her wand, and puts her finger to her lips in an effort to keep the young man quiet. "Why would you want to do that?" Ron said, lowering his voice (probably so Hermione wouldn't hit him again, more than in an effort for people not to hear them). "I mean…even if he _is _good, which I don't know why you and Harry and everyone else is believing so easily, why do you want to check up on him? It's not like he was ever nice to _any _of us, _ever. _Except for the Slytherins, at least."

"The man has done much more for any of us, Harry especially, than we ever thought. And it's only fair that he finally gets some recognition." She says. _My thoughts exactly, _thought Harry. "I mean, the man was _dead _and now he gets a second chance to live again and I would like to see—"

…curiosity, and nothing more? Or…

He didn't realize was walking until he nearly bumps into his friends. They gasp as he comes around. Both their eyes widen (thankfully not simultaneously) as he comes out from round the corner suddenly. He feels his eyes narrow, and his mouth thin as the implications come into sharper focus. So Ron thought that Harry shouldn't be around the man, and Hermione wanted to see if there was anything especially different about Severus because he did the impossible and came back alive.

He felt a sudden wave of anger at the two, and wondered if it really showed on his face. Judging by the looks on their faces, he would say it did.

"Are you done trying to go gawk at Severus like a side-show attraction yet?" he asks, a little too quietly. The kind of quiet when you know when someone is so very angry that they don't yell; they don't have to, speaking is enough. "Because if you are then I believe I have a few things to say to you…"

"Did you say Severus?" Ron squeaked, which was said at the same time as Hermione's; "Harry—"

He could feel the last tender holds on his temper fall down to the wayside, and knew that this outburst might be as potent as the one before his fifth year, or top it. Either way…

"HOW DARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT! LIKE HE'S NOTHING MORE THAN A SICK CURIOSITY THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE AND GET!" He yelled, pointing at Hermione at this point who looks stricken. "AND YOU!" He points to Ron next. "I KNOW WHAT HE WAS LIKE, ALRIGHT?! HE MADE ALL OF OUR LIVES MISERABLE, YES, BUT WE DIDN'T SEE WHAT HE WAS REALLY DOING FOR US, DID WE? NO! HE WAS OUT THERE RISKING HIS LIFE FOR OVER _SIXTEEN _YEARS AND DID HE GET A SHREAD OF RECOGNITION? NO! HE'S BETTER THAN ANY OF YOU COULD POSSIBLY THINK! DON'T THINK I WASN'T SURPRISED BECAUSE I WAS, OKAY!? BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE DEPTH TO HIM, AND YOU JUST STAND THERE, DISGUSTED—OR—OR 'CURIOUS', WANTING TO SEE FOR YOURSELF—"

They both try to protest but he still had some steam left over.

"ALL THE SACRIFICES, ALL THE BLOOD SHED, THE LIVES LOST, THE _PAIN, _THE TORMENT, AND YOU WANT TO GO AND OGLE HIM? OR TRY AND SEE HIM FOR YOURSELF, PICK AT HIM LITTLE BY LITTLE UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT? YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! I KNOW I AM WITH YOU!"

At this point Hermione looked close to crying, and Ron looked stricken. He started to feel a smidge of guilt, but he couldn't stop now. Not when they—

"HE PROTECTED ME FROM VOLDEMORT, HE TRIED TO MAKE UP FOR HEARING PART OF THE PROPHECY, HE WANTED TO MAKE AMENDS, AND YOU—YOU, HOW _DARE _YO—"

"Harry! Harry, please listen!" said Hermione, a couple of tears falling down her face.

"Mate, that isn't fair. That isn't what you're making it out to be—" started Ron.

"YOU DON'T THINK DOING THAT TO DUMBLEDORE WASN'T THE HARDEST THING THAT HE COULD HAVE DONE? DO YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE ANY BETTER? COULD YO—"

"Harry!"

The voice was much softer, but sharper, than his or even Ron and Hermione's had been, but it stopped him immediately, and he felt a kind of tranquil wash over him, ebbing the anger away. The Trio turns to see Severus Snape, black cloak and all, arms crossed, standing behind them in front of his door. The door had apparently been de-warded without them realizing it. Probably because Harry had been yelling.

"That's enough, Harry." Snape said, quietly. Ron's eyebrows try to go past his head, and Hermione seemed to have stopped crying. The two seemed unable to comprehend the Snape they knew, with the Snape who was nicer—at least to Harry. Did it go for everyone else too? "You've yelled at Weasley and Granger enough." He raises a brow suddenly, and puts out a smirk that makes Harry feel that weird little flutter again. "Although I must say that I am thoroughly impressed, I don't think that anyone in Hogwarts didn't hear you, a most spectacular feat. I must say I am impressed, I even heard you through my Silencing spell…or maybe I took that off when you left so I could hear you thundering down the corridors. How you manage to fool _anyone, _even _with _that cloak is beyond me." He gives a graceful little shrug, and smirks even wider.

Ron and Hermione still looked stunned, and Harry felt like his stomach was doing the two step. He glances at his friends, and then takes a step forward, then another, and another. Another moment later and he was standing in front of the man whose eyebrows were raised, and looked at him with a question in his eye, as well as something else that wasn't easy to identify, especially since it was coming from Snape, master of expression.

He glances at Snape, then the door, then finally at his friends. "I'll talk to you two tomorrow at breakfast, okay?" His tone was softer, _definitely _more quiet than it was, and held a tone of regret in it, letting them know that he felt a least a _bit _bad about yelling. A little bit at least…he didn't like what they had said, what they were going to say, and try to do if he hadn't stepped forward…

He looks at Snape who nods, understanding, and opens the door. He doesn't look back as he walks inside, knowing that the man was walking behind him and re-warding the door, and didn't (couldn't) look at his friends. They didn't understand, and how could they? It was such a complicated situation, and even he didn't understand the full implications of it yet. Whatever _it _was… He felt so unsure of things he thought he once knew, but... He glances at the man, he also knew a lot of things that he once didn't. And he was finally getting to know someone whom had made his life miserable for the wrong reasons, and was now talking to him for the right ones. He hoped. He wasn't sure just what exactly he was hoping for, but he knew that whatever the _it _was, he wanted it to go well.

He wanted it so badly.

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_Day Three- A couple of hours later _

They were now situated in the armchairs, in front of the roaring fire once more. It was fast becoming a place for them to sit themselves after a long day, and a place which they could confide in one another, and not have to worry about what the other would say, or do. They left their judgments at the door, and just tried to listen to what the other had to say. He told Severus about his life with the Dursley's, and Severus would in exchange, tell him about his own childhood with his mother and father. Both of them had a not so good childhood, and had come out of it a little shaky, Harry affected much less than Severus had been, though Harry admittedly had a horrible childhood as well. They also talked about school life, although Severus had taught Harry, he had never actually seen Harry interacting within the school, and with the students. And Harry had yet to be born when Severus went to school, as his parents didn't get together till late into their sixth/seventh year.

Harry also knew the bitterness that Severus felt towards James Potter, for taking away what Severus had loved most dearly. And he also knew that Severus felt guilt because he had pushed Lily away, and felt all the more resentment towards James because of it. He, Severus, didn't have as many close friends that Harry had, besides Lily. He had people who pretended to be friends, all the while feeding him information on the Dark Lord, and how Muggles (or Muggle-borns) were no good.

He was finally learning, and knowing the man who had—through all his hardships, and failures, and successes—become the Severus Snape that sat across from him today. With the better understanding, he was also finding that he, Harry, had went through quite a few changes as well. Not as much, (or as hard, in some of the things that Severus went through)but it was a long journey just the same, and he couldn't think of himself as the same boy who had come to Hogwarts nearly seven years before, in awe, happy, and a little afraid. He had literally grown, magical, physically, and emotionally, within these walls. He was not the same person he had been, the events that he went through had shaped him—much in the same way that the things that Severus had went through had shaped him to become what he was.

The castle was an amazing thing; it had shaped people for good…and yes, for bad also. Tom Riddle was ultimately shaped by it as well, and became the warped, megalomaniac that everyone knew as Lord Voldemort. But, a lot of Riddle's thinking, and changes came from extra awareness of things, he shaped his destiny with more than most people could say they could. He, so afraid of Death, had done whatever he could to run, and escape from its deathly grasp. He made Horcruxes so he could repel Death, but even that wasn't enough to sustain him. It _would _have, if not for the intervention of a few key players, which Harry himself only had a hand in as well.

Because, although it had to be him, (because Voldemort made him his equal) he would never have made it that far, if not for the people around him. He looks at Severus, who was staring at the fireplace, its flames reflected off of the man's remarkable eyes. He would _definitely _not have made it as far as he had, if not for him. Not just him, Harry, but so many other people. Much more would have died, and much earlier—and Riddle maybe wouldn't have been stopped.

Snape turns to look at him now. He was still a very hard person to read, but slowly Harry was starting to be able to notice things, expressions, and tone of voice, to know when Severus was truly angry, acting, or just doing it for the hell of it.

"I tried looking into my Pensieve once more…I still couldn't see anything." Severus said suddenly. Harry knew what he was talking about. Snape had been trying to de-fog his memory of what had happened to him. He remembered a little bit more, able to see more, but that blur stayed stubbornly a blur, with only vague motions and color able to be seen. He had put away the Pensieve after that, and had (to Harry's knowledge) not bothered to look at it again. Harry didn't know if Severus had dreamt of anything more, if so, he wasn't about to share, and Harry was frustrated that he had to leave the dungeons to tromp up to Gryffindor tower for bed. He would rather have liked to kip on Severus' couch, in the very least…

He frowns, and takes a better look at Severus. And frowns a little more. What was it? There was something about the older man that looked different all of a sudden. He didn't think it was from his new found friendship—thing, with Severus Snape. He had, on the first night, stared at the man as he slept, and he could clearly see all the lines and the…the thing that made Severus Snape what he was. Not the Dark Mark, no, it was…an inner something, a quiet fire that he wanted to know more about, wanted to know why he did, and wanted to know more of everything. It wasn't enough for him. Not yet…

The lines on the man's face seemed to have a different texture to them; they seemed softer, not quite as harsh. In fact they seemed to be changing right in front of him—

He didn't know what was on his face, but Snape gives him a slightly confused look, with a raised brow as an added bonus.

"What is it, Harry? Something on my face?" he said, a little sarcastically at the end. Harry tries not to stare so blatantly, but he couldn't help it. It was crazy! First the man comes back from the dead, now _this—_

"Yeah," he says distractedly, fascinated with the changes going on before his very (still very glasses wearing) eyes. "Yeah, it's…maybe you should look for yourself and see."

Severus takes his wand from his robe pocket, and with a glance at Harry (probably trying to see if Harry was being serious or not. He wouldn't be very happy if it was some kind of joke, Harry knew), waves it in a funny little twirl, and mutters something which he couldn't understand. Again with the Latin! He knew that it was the core of Magic, the first language it was spoke in, and the most potent, but it didn't help him if he couldn't understand it or speak it! After Severus finished muttering whatever he was muttering, a small mirror appears. Harry's throat contracts a little; it looked quite similar to the Tabulas Loquoram that Sirius had given to him, something that he had never looked at until it was too late, and he couldn't speak to his Godfather again.

He shakes these feelings off, ignores a weird little warmth that passes through him, and was gone the next second, and turns to look a little better at the man who was looking in the Mirror… Snape's eyes widen quite noticeably, and looks so closely into the Mirror that the man almost looked like he was falling in…

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	4. In a week's time Part Three

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

A/N: The response from everyone is so surprising, but it makes me quite happy, and you should be happy! I am giving another double post! I am currently working on chapter eight as well! 6 and 7 well…blush

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

CHAPTER FOUR-

In a week's time things will change more than you can imagine, Part III

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_Day Four- Morning _

It was now nearly eight o' clock in the morning, and he was blatantly staring…at himself. That sounded a lot dirtier than it was. He was by no means a vain person, (_really _wasn't) but he couldn't stop looking at himself in a mirror. Really! You would think he was a Malfoy, or something. But, somehow in the midst of all the craziness of these last few days (not even mentioning the craziness for so long before, dealing with the Dark Lord and all that), after coming back from the dead, and becoming closer with Harry (something which he would have never ever thought possible), something that he had never planned to—it was something that just happened…but it clicked, and filled a something inside him that he didn't know he needed, or wanted filled, or at least thought that place had belonged to Lily. And it _did. _

Until now. It was a disconcerting thought to think about, more so of the fact that it was Harry Potter, boy-who-lived, more than the fact that it was Lily Potter's son; a woman whom he had loved with all of his being, her being his motivation to do what he had for so long. He stops looking at his reflection, being too distracted to do so, and tries to think of just what those implications meant. He knew that he _did _feel something for the impertinent brat, but he hadn't been sure of what. Even now…he wasn't sure just what to do, or to say, the toll of the last few days, years, hours, had all took its toll in their own way.

And now he was looking at a younger man that he had never thought he would see again; this time in his own reflection. Apparently being brought back by whomever, whatever…apparently they weren't satisfied enough, and so they/it decided to do this to him. All the aches that had been there for so long that he had long forgotten not having them, all the pain, all of the uneasiness; it was all gone.

He wasn't sure if it was temporary or not, and he had trouble believing in any kind of God, so even if it wasn't going to last, he was still thankful that he had this at least. And…the person too whom made him feel that living…may not be quite so bad after all.

A damned brat who made him all sentimental is what he was doing!

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_Day Four- Morning, Breakfast time _

He hadn't had a lot of sleep last night. He could lie to himself and say it was because the obnoxious little brat kept him up talking, but the fact was that he _wanted _to talk with him, and even that didn't last that long. No…that wasn't it. He hadn't been able to sleep, the events of the last few days, the shock of it all, the shock of what had just happened to him…couple that with stress as old as Harry Potter himself, _older _even, and it caused him little sleep, and a bit of a headache as he got himself out of bed. The other aches that he would have normally had, due to age, and his own dangerous profession, _professions, _had not been there, and that at least gave him a moments reprieve. He was grateful. And he also remembered just what happened as soon as he opened his bedroom door…

-------((((((((((((((

He opens his door, and walks through it with a purpose. It was still early yet, and hardly any would be up, save a few of the staff, so maybe he could actually eat breakfast in the Great Hall without anyone staring so hard at him this time. The people would be having an absolute field day if they saw him like he was now. No one else knew about this new event other than him, Harry, and that house-elf, Kreacher. And he knew that house-elf to be loyal to Harry, so he wasn't worried about a stray tongue talking.

He takes a step out of his door, and closes it softly behind him…and stares.

Harry Potter lay sound asleep. He was curled up on the sofa that Severus had left him on, very late the night before…Harry had smiled a wide, and a little sleepy, smile at him. He shakes his head a little, hair going every which way, him not caring one whit. Now Harry was asleep, hair even more messy than it usually was, glasses askew, mouth agape, his clothes all rumpled up, he looked very relaxed in his sleep, the scar still much present upon his forehead, but it didn't take away from the young man, no, if anything…

Harry both looked so much like his father in that moment, but not, and also looked liked his mother, her features softening his face, brightening the face, her eyes already peering out from underneath those lids. Not a second later Harry…he…it was as if the blinders that made him just see James Potter (and the pain whenever he seen Lily's eyes from said face) were lifted, and he could really see Harry. He looked exactly the same as he remembered, but not. It was a hard thing to explain, but he felt the difference, even if he couldn't quite explain it. The past few days had been extreme, in every sense, but he didn't expect something like _that _to happen. Things were continuing in a fashion he was so unfamiliar with, and he wasn't sure what to do.

It seemed as if in one moment he was a teenager again, and he was in love with Lily Evans, and the next…he was standing before her son, he was older now, and he was…he wanted—

"Damn you." He whispered to no one in particular.

Harry makes a small sound in his sleep, brows furrowing slightly, before smoothing out. All was calm, and still. Except for Severus Snape; he just had another life altering revelation and he wasn't sure what to do. He felt even less sure than when he had joined up with the Death Eaters, and that was saying something.

-------)))))))))))))))))))))))

He manages to eat a few more bites of his oatmeal than he thought he would be able to. The Great Hall was quite deserted, as he thought it would be. There were maybe five students in the Hall, with a fair number of the teachers, which rather surprised him. The students he knew (and knew of) quite well; Granger, Weasley, Draco, the Weasley girl, and… He inclines his head just so to his right, and sees Harry out of the corner of his eye, who was eating his oatmeal with much more enthusiasm than Severus could drudge up. Oh, and Lucius and Narcissa were eating with their son at the Slytherin table, the only three at the table.

There was no Hufflepuff's at their table, nor any Ravenclaw's…wait, there was that Lovegood girl coming in. He watches her go over to the Gryffindor table, and sits with the others. He felt a small smirk of satisfaction go on his face, at having Harry all to himself, the other teachers on the other end of the table, the seat which Albus occupied still empty. (He himself only took it because it was a necessary; he had to stay on Voldemort's _good _side for as long as he possibly could, he couldn't die before he seen Potter again. Potter he was then…)

Then he stops suddenly, spoon in the middle of taking a bite. Did he really just think about Harry being all his? He sighs, and finishes the bite, not wanting to look silly, with his spoon hanging there like some idiot. He just had to accept what he had realized earlier this morning, for it was most definitely true; somehow he had managed to fall for the Golden Boy. Damn it.

He notices Harry looking at him, probably wondering why he was acting like such a…_Gryffindor _or something. He _did_...feel something for him. He did. He just didn't know what to do about it. After all, he had thought that his last mission from Albus was really going to be last. And it _had _been. But something had happened, something which no one could explain, and he knew that people knew about him now; he had read the _Daily Prophet _this morning, and for once they had their facts straight and no Rita Skeeter in sight. He knew that was due to Kingsley's influence, and he was grateful for it. He had not known the man too personally, (he had made it a personal mission not to get too close to anyone, it endangered what he had to do.) but he knew the man was truly an honorable man, so if anyone had to become the new Minister of Magic, then it should be someone like that.

He glances at the nearly empty House tables, and sees the Gryffindors (and the one lone Ravenclaw sitting at their table was playing with a weird looking root) staring at him. He narrows his eyes, and glares at them. The others look away immediately, except for the Weasley girl. (Yes, he knew the silly girl's name, but that didn't matter one bit to _him;_ she had been in a place where she shouldn't have, or to be more truthful, she had been with a _person _that she shouldn't have.) She glances over to his right, where he knew Harry was sitting, and eating. She frowns, and doesn't seem to be very happy about something. She then notices the glare he was still giving, and quickly turns away. He glances over at Harry, wondering why she had looked like she did before she had noticed him glaring. Harry was staring. _At him. _His heart gives a funny little flutter, and he hoped very much that his face was holding up as good as it always did; because he was afraid that in this moment that it wasn't, and he wasn't sure just what he would say or do, if Harry had somehow managed to see something in his face that truly meant something.

He raises an eyebrow, and puts that little smirk on his face (which he knew tended to piss a lot of people off, why else would he do it?). "Is there something on my face? I didn't think that I was quite _that _interesting to stare at; I suppose it's my natural charm. It's alright, Potter; you can stare at me all you like, if that's how you get your jollies then by all means—" He stops as he sees Harry go quite red, and stops. The teachers as well as the few students (as well as Narcissa and Lucius) were looking over at them at the other side of the staff table. He could see Harry's throat working slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing a little as he does so, and he stops. Harry's eyes were a little suspiciously bright as he looked at him—not from tears, but from something…else.

At least that is what he _thought _it was from. He hoped it was.

He hoped so much.

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_Day Four- Morning, Breakfast Time…a few minutes later _

He gives a quick glance to Harry as he stands. He swiftly walks down through the middle of the tables, now starting to be filled up with students. He ignores their stares, and murmurs; only glaring and barking at a few when they got a little too rude, or staring a little too hard. He walks down to the front doors, and opens one, walking quickly outside.

It was a nice day, the sun putting down it's too overly bright rays, but it was not too hot, or too cold out. He much preferred the dungeons, but he needed to get some air in that moment, and it would take longer to get to the dungeons, even with his shortcuts. _If _he could think about all of them, that is. The look in Harry's eyes had been amazing, and it shocked him, and it made him wonder. Because he didn't want to be wrong. He didn't want to try, or say anything, because he was afraid to be wrong. He didn't want to ruin what they had…whatever they had, for something more, and to be wrong.

What would happen now? Could he, they, anyone, possibly find out what had happened to him? In a few days time, a week, more…would Harry still want to be near? He whips his head to his left as he notices a blur, the very same that had been haunting him, taunting him to remember, and he couldn't. As soon as he tries to really see what it was, it vanishes. "Damn it all!" he snarls.

"Maybe I shouldn't come out then…" said a voice behind him suddenly. He stiffens for a moment, before turning to look at the voice he knew belonged to the person who he couldn't stop thinking about, who had somehow wormed their way into his very being, moving into the place that had once been that same person's mother. It was Harry. He finds himself getting back into his persona a little more easily than he thought, but it seemed to put them both a little more at ease, funnily enough. They were both so used to it, and Severus had to admit that he did love being the way he did out in the open; he wasn't the only person to think of some things one way, he was just the only one who would say anything.

"I would like to say no, but you will just come out anyway, insufferable Gryffindor that you are, so I will just say nothing instead." He replies. He hears footsteps behind him, and doesn't turn around as he feels Harry come up beside him, still shorter in stature than he; but then again, a lot of people were, though the young man had gained some height, and a little weight since he could remember last. Which made him think that he had looked at Harry before, _really _looked at him. Had he looked at Harry during those last years of his schooling with _those _thoughts running around, and he not know it?

"Y'know I probably should take offense to that, you greasy git." Harry said. Severus turns to glare at him, but the total lack of malice in those haunting eyes made him back off a little. He was so used to be on the receiving end of things that he was still a little touchy. And although he and Harry both knew that a lot of his own mouthing off was just for show, and because he could, because he didn't really mean what he said. Mostly. At least about Harry.

"You're too thick headed to take offense to anything, Potter." He says, smirking. "You wouldn't know an insult if it bit you on your arse. You think everything is a compliment. I'm surprised you haven't asked me to get out my autograph book for you to sign."

Harry rolls his eyes at him. "Yeah, yeah. I know the routine. 'Harry Potter is an attention hog; he does all he does to get attention. You know that Voldemort thing? Such an attention hog!'" He shakes his head, while Severus looks on, both trying to hide smiles that were itching to make themselves known to each other.

Severus himself shakes his head slightly, pretending that he was disappointed, when both parties involved knew that he wasn't. "Tsk tsk, Harry. I should have known." He fakes a sigh, and pretends he doesn't see Harry trying to hold back laughter. "It is _my _autograph that you want isn't it? That's what this is all about! You pretend you want all the attention, to get _my _attention. Really now, do you think that was the smartest thing you could have done? You could have just got your quill and parchment out after class like the rest of the boys and girls, and asked me." He keeps himself from looking at Harry, who was really struggling to keep the laughter in. He himself was covering a chuckle with a discreet cough.

Then another. And another. And then another one again.

"M-maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey, Professor." Harry gasped out, holding his sides, trying to keep from laughing, and kind of succeeding. "I mean, maybe something happened on the Other Side, or when you came back. Like you…fell over a dustbin or something inane like that—"

"Ha—Potter, _s-stop that!_"

"Maybe thinking of-of Hagrid in a tutu will calm you down, or Grawp—" By this point Severus had to actually hold his hand over his mouth, and Harry was doing no better than he. And it didn't help when Harry started speaking all funny. "Tra-la-la-la-la! Yeh're not doin' it right! It's bend then jump! Bend then ju-m-p—"

It was too much, for both of them. They both burst into laughter, and Severus could not remember a time when he had actually felt free, felt _whole_. Had he _ever _laughed like this? And so hard as well? He couldn't remember if he did. After a few moments, with their laughter fading away from the open grounds, (which had startled a few birds, and a few random noises from farther away had stopped for a moment.) Severus turns to look at Harry, who had stopped laughing a little before him. He looked surprised. He understood; it must have been a shock to hear _Severus Snape _laughing like that. Merlin! Laughing like that at all! It must have sent Harry into a wave of confusion and shock.

He could feel the tension and uneasiness melt away, and not just his own. He frowns a little, brows furrowing. He looks at Harry closer, who was now wiping his eyes on his shirt, followed by his glasses. Had his skills as a Legilimens picked that up? Harry's thoughts couldn't be _that _close to the surface. And these were _feelings_, not thoughts. It wasn't the same thing. Damn it all. Something had just happened again, and he wasn't sure what. Somewhere, someone was having a good laugh at his expense, he just knew it.

Again.

Damn it.

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A/N: Is it weird that I laugh when Harry acts like Hagrid, and I wrote it? Oo

(Oh, and the dustbin comment is for my blove of StarryGazer's story The Master Plan (I love her sequel as well!) )


	5. In a week's time Part Four

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

A/N: Finally you get to see some of the plot! It came out better than I expected, as well as the rotating POV's that came about out of the blue. Enjoy!

CHAPTER FIVE-

In a week's time things will change more than you can imagine, Part IV

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_Day Five- Morning _

He walks up to the door and knocks. And waits. A few moments pass, and the door stays stubbornly shut. He frowns. Was Severus still asleep? It seemed highly unlikely; that man got up during ungodly hours. Harry had still been yawning on the way down here. He taps his foot, and waits another few seconds. He could hear his trainer make an audible _click _as he tapped his foot waiting. He knocks again. There was no way that Severus was still asleep. Maybe he had gotten up even _earlier _to go to the Great Hall? It seemed unlikely, even though the man got up so early, as he didn't think the Hall was served before a certain time. He wasn't positive on that one though; as he didn't get up that early. He was _now _but that was only due to an infuriating man who insisted on going to the Great Hall early, saying that he wanted, 'as much as peace as possible away from those irksome students. They wouldn't know the true meaning of the early riser if it bit them on the arse.'

The man really had a way with words. After the door _still _doesn't open, he debates whether or not to try and use his wand to open it. The Elder Wand would more than likely open it without a problem. Yes, he still had the wand. He _had _been going to put it away, but it didn't quite feel like the right time, and then when Snape had appeared…

well… he felt the urge more than ever to keep the Elder Wand safe. Not from Snape though. As he is debating whether or not to use the wand (he also had his Holly wand with him as well), a note suddenly appears on the door; seemingly coming from the wood itself, it slowly appears on the door. It read;

_Potter, _

_You're presence is not a surprising one, but one which I must insist leave immediately. I will not be going to the Great Hall this morning, and as of this moment, I would like you to leave me alone, and keep away from me. For good. These last few days have been…interesting to say the least, but I will not be a guinea pig for anyone, most especially you. I dealt with enough things from your father and his silly group of 'friends'. Like father, like son, I suppose. I will give you exactly two minutes to vacate my space, and these dungeons, before I activate the hex that is ready and waiting. And don't even think about repeating any of the things that I told you in confidence. I will know, and I will make you pay for them. _

_--Severus Snape _

He looks at the letter in complete and utter disbelief. Then anger starts to sink into him. What kind of _fucking _nerve did that damn man have? He feels the anger start to slowly seep out as a suddenly feeling of resignation and sadness hits him. It hits him so suddenly that it makes him stagger a little. What the hell was going on? That man had no damn right to—He stops, and looks at the door. He moves away from it, and starts to head back up the stairs. He looks at the door as he walks up.

The way things had been between them had been so much better than he could have hoped for. They weren't all fake were they? Why would Snape—why would Severus suddenly act this way? Was he really that angry? Or was he scared? That stopped Harry in his tracks. Could the man who seemed to be on top of everything be scared of the closeness that they were gaining? The unspoken understanding that Harry wasn't sure to make of yet?

If the man really _had _had a change of heart then Harry would be angry, oh yes, he would. He was angry now… but if he really was so angry…

Then why did he feel the sudden need to cry?

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_Day Five- Morning, Three Hours Later _

Harry glares into the empty fireplace as he sits in the chair. Sulkily, if he had wanted to admit it. He could see Ron and Hermione looking over at him, but he didn't feel like talking anymore than he did three hours ago. He had left the dungeons in a foul mood; a combination of anger, sadness, resignation, and other emotions which he couldn't name. His friends had been there early, anticipating that he would too, as he had for four days straight, and had asked him what was wrong. He must have glared a glare that gave Snape a run for his money, because they backed off and gave him space.

Snape hadn't been there at breakfast, like he said he wouldn't (though Harry had hoped that he would be there, and everything would be explained, and alright.) and Harry had sat at the Gryffindor table with his friends. After breakfast, he lingered as long as possible in the hopes that Snape would make his entrance into the Hall as students started to leave, but he had no such luck. Snape the man was again, not Severus until Harry had a reason to call him so.

Now he was sitting in the chair in Gryffindor tower, and luckily it held only him, Ron and Hermione in it. That might be because of the way Harry was acting, Harry's temper, or something in Harry's eyes. Add those up with the events of a few days ago, him versus Voldemort, and you had a volatile combination. He was a little surprised that Ron and Hermione chose to stay, though at the same time he was not, as he knew his best mates were always going to be there for him, no matter what. They had proven it time and again, and it added a little peaceful feeling in his heart as he thought about it.

He suddenly felt surprise. This surprised him. And although that was a paradox; that he could be feeling those feelings, and did feel them, he wondered what was going on. Why had these feelings suddenly come up within him? It was as if the surprise was not his own. He felt that something was happening beyond his control, and he wasn't sure what to do. It was as if someone was playing behind the scenes. But, Voldemort was gone, he couldn't make Harry feel pain, or give him visions, or anything like that anymore; he had killed him, had seen the _man _die before his eyes and many others' as well.

He sighs, and ignores the stares of his friends, and their murmurs to one another, probably talking about him no doubt. He ignores the sudden sound of the Fat Lady's portrait opening and people walking in. He ignored it all.

All he had in his mind and heart in that moment was a haunted man, dark eyes and pale skin. He could picture it easier in his mind than he had expected; he closes his eyes and lets his thoughts drift off, he could almost hear the man's voice calling out to him, saying something…something… he wasn't sure…what…

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_Day Five- Later Afternoon _

He could see Snape! He was almost there! He reaches through the blackness, of which only he and Snape seemed to be in, and reaches, reaches…almost there--!

Snape snaps his head up to look at him, a burning look in those dark eyes, and vanishes.

"No!" _Harry! Harry! Harry, wake up! _

He could only hear the echo of his own voice as it moves along the darkness. He looks around. Where was he? Was he dreaming? If not, then how had he gotten here? There must be something… Where did Snape go? He turns to his right, and sees a bluish light coming through the 'wall' of the darkness; as if it was part of it, but not. It starts out small, then starts to grow larger as it moves, (could it really move as if alive?) moves towards him. He stood frozen; he could not move if he tried. He was not scared though, he felt a distant curiousness, and a strange feeling of alarm that was not his own, a part of him, but not _his… _

He stands; waiting. It seemed to take forever, and not long enough as the blue light starts to spin around and take a form; it seemed to be a young looking man. He was kneeling down, and his hair was so black, and it looked so familiar that it made Harry's heart skip a few beats. But then the face looks up, and he knew it wasn't Snape's.

This man was younger, around Harry's age, he had shoulder length black hair, and the darkest blue eyes that Harry had ever seen, so blue that they seemed to reflect the blackness every so often.

_Harry, can you hear me? Wake up! _

_Wake up, mate! This isn't funny anymore! _

He looks calmly at the young man as he starts to stand, and it was then that he noticed that the young man had been naked, a fact that he should have noticed but had been too entranced by those eyes (when they were black they reminded him of…) to notice, and now the man was wearing clothes that Harry was so used to seeing by now that he supposed he was dreaming of them now; Snape's clothes. But if this was a dream, and he could control it, then why wasn't Severus Snape here? Instead of this person.

_Harry! Harry! _

"Am I really dreaming?" he heard himself ask. The face looks up at him now, the young man, and takes a step forward, boots echoing along the blackness just the way that Snape's did…when he chose to let you know that he was there. He comes to stand before Harry. And although the hair, clothes, and walk were the same, he did not look the same as Snape, his eyes were softer, his nose a bit shorter, and his lips a bit fuller. And he was only a couple of inches taller than Harry. It was not a face, Harry knew, that he could dream up—even if he did dream weird things sometimes.

"No, you're not dreaming…not exactly." Harry was a little disappointed that the voice couldn't be the same, and felt himself surprised as well… The voice was only a little deep, nowhere near the same that Snape could do. "You're asleep, but this isn't a dream. I…I had not expected to be able to do this…so easily. And it had left me a little shaken; but I have done what I needed to. I am sorry that I sent away Se—your Professor Snape though; I would like to have him around, but I cannot exactly control what I do all the time, though I _did _do what was needed…"

Now Harry was confused, the man was speaking in riddles, and in circles. "What?"

"It's started." This time the voice sounded serious, it was a change from the tone that had just occurred. "Things are needed, and I need to explain—" The darkness around starts to shift, and the man's face grows angry. "No! I need more time!" He looks at Harry, who looks bewildered, with a fierce look in his eyes. He takes something from a pocket and hands it to Harry. He pushes into Harry's hand insistently, and Harry looks down automatically to see what it was. A ring, but not just _any _ring though… and the stone on top of it was no longer cracked, the—

"Resurrection Stone…"he breathed. The man nods fervently. The stone was now whole and untarnished, as if what had happened to it had never happened. "But, what—?"

"That was only the first," the man said quickly, as if afraid of not being able to get out the words. "And not the last. But they are searching, and they want to bring back…" The man was starting to fade. "Don't hold anything back, Harry! Don't hold your feelings in! Let them come as they may! Be prepared for what is going to happen!" The man was see through now, as if a ghost, and was rapidly fading away. "They are searching for the Dark Lord, do you understand? Remember this! _They are trying to resurrect the Dark Lord!!_" The man vanishes. And Harry finds himself finally able to move, the darkness starts to change, it grows smaller and smaller, until finally Harry sees that they are not a whole darkness, but eyes. He is looking into Severus Snape's eyes. How odd, he thought. Snape blinks a couple of times, and then opens his mouth to say something—

_HARRY!! _

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_Day Five- Later Afternoon _

He blinks as the light from the Common Room come into sharper focus, and he groans. He stops getting shaken, and he blinks as two blurs, one tall and lanky, and one shorter and bushy haired, come into focus; Ron and Hermione. He shakes his head, and sits up straighter in the chair. His head throbbed a bit. He had been dreaming something…but what was it? It was like trying to keep water in your hands, but eventually it just seeped out. He felt the same frustration that he did when he had that dream before Fourth year, when he had that dream about Voldemort and Wormtail, when Voldemort had killed that old Muggle.

All he could remember were eyes. Black ones. He could feel a slow flush work its way up his chest and settle into his cheeks. …Had he been dreaming about _Snape? _

He looks up at his friends, trying to ignore the way his heart suddenly goes pittly-pat. They both looked a combination of worry and anger.

"Harry! We've been trying to wake you up for _over an hour! _What's going on?" asked Hermione. "Are you alright?"

Ron pushes a red lock back from his face, clearly annoyed with it, and looks down at Harry, the tip of his nose was a little black—like on the way to Hogwarts for the first time, Harry reflected. "I'm fine." Harry replied. And it was true; he felt no ill effects, or anything like that. Just…a sense of urgency, for some reason. He felt like he was missing something, though he wasn't sure what.

"You sure, mate? We were worried." Ron said. Harry shakes his head, noticing that the Common room was now deserted other than he, and his friends.

"I'm fine," Harry repeated. He felt the sudden need to go and get out of here He quickly stands and starts heading towards the portrait hole.

"Wait—where are you going?" asked Hermione, sounding confused.

"Air," he says, shortly. "I need some air. I'll be back before dinner."

"…Don't you want some company?" asked Ron, sounding more than confused from the sudden change in Harry's demeanor. Harry turns around just before he gets to the portrait hole and looks at them.

"No!" At their furrowed brows, he softens his tone. "No. Really. I'm alright, _really. _I just need to go out and get some air all right?"

Hermione nods, Ron starts to but frowns. "You're…you're not going to sneak off to see Ginny are you?" Ginny? Harry was now the one confused. Why would he—

"What? Ginny? No!" Harry said. Ron looked a little skeptical. "No. I'm not. _Really, _I'm not. I just need to get some air." He hadn't even thought of Ginny, or that Ron would think that he would be thinking of her. He stills for a moment in realization. He hadn't given her a moments thought other than after that short terse moment when he had walked off with Snape back to his dungeons. He had talked to her in the Great Hall and such, sure, but he hadn't actually thought about her outside of when they talked, and even then…they just talked…he hadn't had a single moment about _her, _and he didn't feel that funny feeling in his stomach…when he thought about her, at least.

He could feel himself grow a little paler, and from the brows raised on his friends' faces', he knew that his own face must not look so well. He hurtles himself out of the portrait hole, and races down the hallways, needing, needing to get outside. He ignores the stares of students and people alike as he rushes to the front doors, he ignores the murmurs. He pushes the doors open, and runs outside, and stumbles as he hits the grass, landing on his knees. He had…he was…what had he been dreaming about? Been _thinking? _

What was going on with him? It was…it was…

That damned git!

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_Day Five- Dinnertime _

There was still no sign of Snape. Harry had, after his apparent anxiety attack, calmed down sufficiently and told himself that he was still just angry at the man for keeping him at bay…when they had become something like friends. Or at least friend-_ly_. He felt the anger bubble up from within him, and he rather liked it that way. …It kept the other strange thoughts at bay.

Snape had not shown up to dinner, either. Harry had walked into the Great Hall with his friends, (He had went back to the tower after a time, where they had been waiting for him. Too good of a pair of friends than anyone could ask for, really.) The man really _was _trying to avoid him; but Harry had no clue as to _why_. They _had _been getting along; they _had _been talking like—like equals. Had Harry really been getting too close to him? Was that why he was distancing himself? Was he really afraid?

For his own sake…he had better be!

"You okay, Harry? You seem…a little angry." George said. Harry looks at him. He was asking how _he _was? The man had lost his brother, his own _twin _brother, for Merlin's sake, and he was asking how Harry was? Harry shakes his head, and gives a smile (that he knew) wasn't quite as genuine as he hoped it was.

"No. No, I'm okay. Just…thinking." He says, a little distractedly. He tries to focus on his food in the hopes that he could ignore his friends enough without seeming rude, and so he wouldn't think of a slimy, greasy, git who wanted to be an arse to him—more so than he usually was to him.

The Great Hall was packed to the brim again, and there were many people talking all throughout its walls. The Headmaster's seat; Dumbledore's seat was still empty. It felt only right that it was that way, even if Professor McGonagall was Headmistress now. He glances over at the Slytherin table, and notices Draco Malfoy, who glances at him, his eyes both defiant and unsure as he sits next to his parents. Draco, who had not wanted to be a Death Eater like he once thought, who had been horrified at the things that he had to do… Draco who had the Elder Wand, which Harry now possessed…

Harry gives a nod at Draco, who gives a short one in return, and re-concentrates, on his food. He sighs to himself. The noise of the Great Hall usually made him feel good made his spirits rise, but looking down the staff table and seeing the spot that usually held Snape empty, made Harry feel worse than ever. And angrier because of it, as well.

Damn it all!

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_Day Five—Day Five, 11:48 _

He knew where Snape was, and by God, he wasn't let him going to get away with this! At least without some explanation! He stands up, and looks at his friends who look up from where they were talking. "Bebackgoingtogoandsee…I mean…air. Going for air, yeah…see you all in a few…" He hurries off before they can respond, and heads out of the Gryffindor Common Room. The hallways were empty as dinner had ended awhile ago, and most people were in their towers right now. All the Towers were hosting some of the people who had been in Hogsmeade, etc. They still did it according to House they had been in before.

His destination was clear, and he would not let Snape push him out, or away. This felt like too much of an important moment to let Snape push him away, no…to let _Severus _push him away from something which felt overwhelmingly bigger than either of them. He felt like he had no say in any of this…he was just going with the currents, hoping that he wouldn't be overwhelmed and drowned by them.

Or by him.

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_Day Five- Outside Snape's Quarters, a few minutes later _

He comes to a sudden halt in front of the man's rooms. He wondered if that hex was still active. Probably, knowing Snape, but he just _had _to see the man. The infuriating, sarcastic, snarky, burdened, mysterious, man with those dark, dark eyes.

Damn it all!

He bangs on the door, trying to see if he could actually get the man to open up the doors himself, not wanting to have to resort to force, the man would definitely _not _be happy with Harry then. The note on the door was no longer there as well. Even if Snape _was _mad at Harry, for whatever reason (he probably felt that he didn't have to have one), he should have given him at least a _little _credit. He was not a gossip, like some Gryffindors he could have named, and he didn't tell Ron and Hermione _any _of the things that Snape had told him—like the man said—in confidence.

He waits for a minute, no more; he looks at the door a little uneasily. The note earlier had said that Harry had only two minutes to get away, was it still the same? Or was there even a hex on the door, or whatever, anymore? He starts to get out the Elder Wand but stops his hand in mid-motion and decides to bang on the door again. He knew Snape was in those rooms. He _knew _that he was in there. It was as if he could feel the man. As if he could feel the man's own feelings. Had the man's Legilimens abilities somehow have leaked out somehow? Could that happen? It was something…

"Snape!" Harry yelled, banging on the door louder this time, not caring if anyone heard. "Snape! Let me in! Come on! I don't even know why you're so brassed off—Severus, come o—" The last part of his sentence gets lost as a dark clothed hand darts out of the suddenly open door, pulling him inside, and causing him to let out a faint noise.

The door slams shut, and he feels the sudden heat from the fireplace, and the heat that was in front of him. A very, very, angry heat. The black eyes were blazing something fierce as Snape pulls back a little away from him. The last time Harry could remember Snape being this angry was when he had called him a coward, and when Snape had caught him looking at his Pensieve... This didn't exactly bode well, but Harry was willing to take some lip from Snape…some _words _from Snape, that was what he meant!

"Potter!" hissed Snape; arms were on either side, fists clenched. "How _dare _you barge down here into my dungeons, into my quarters!" Well, actually, _you _let me in here…Harry thought. "I told you this morning that I didn't want to see you again, and here you come, thinking that you're bigger and better than any rules! Get _out_!"

Harry looks up at him, and suddenly _he _wasn't the angry one anymore… No, he felt calm. The kind of calmness when you know you did the right thing—even if the person in front of you wanted to hex you from here to Zimbabwe.

"You're the one who _dragged _me in here!" Okay, so maybe he _was _feeling some anger… "Why did you give me that note today? Why are you suddenly acting…?" Like Snape, maybe? But, no! There was something else going on, Harry knew it, and he couldn't stand the feeling of anticipation any longer! "Why did you suddenly push me away?"

Snape stands a little straighter, probably trying to intimidate Harry with his height, but it wasn't going to work, not this time. This was too important.

"Say something, Severus! _Anything! _Don't just stand there like stone and _stare _at me!" Snape's eyes seem to blaze even hotter, if that was possible. His hands, which had been clenched at his sides, start to move slowly…

"Why are you doing this?" Harry demanded.

"Why?" Snape said softly. "Why?!" He takes a step forward, and grabs onto Harry's shoulders, startling the younger man. "This is why! What have you done to m—" He doesn't finish because he suddenly darts his head down and kisses Harry.

Harry stands there stunned for a moment, and _this_, Harry knew, was the defining moment that he had been anticipating, that he had been waiting for. But…it was Snape, and he was… and he couldn't… His heart felt like it suddenly had a measure of peace that it never had before, while his skin seems to burn from within. He gasps, and he returns the kiss, overwhelmed.

The kisses he had with Ginny could never have prepared him for something like _this_, the pure _heat _that came from the man who always had seemed so cold. The feeling as their lips glided against one another's. He shivers as he feels Snape's…no, _Severus' _tongue enter his mouth, he closes his eyes and he returns that with his own. There was a moan, and Harry wasn't sure just who it was from. So _this _was why Severus had pulled back like that. It had to be new, or he would probably have never gotten closer to Harry in the first place.

He wasn't disgusted of his feelings was he? He couldn't be! The feelings that he, Harry, was feeling felt more natural than it ever had with Ginny. It was pleasant, and _nice _with her. It wasn't this engulfing passion, the feeling of having to have more, more! It didn't feel like this overwhelming need to plaster yourself as close as possible to the person you were kissing. So Severus couldn't feel disgusted! It felt like…he really _had _been afraid, afraid of Harry's reaction, judging by the now shivering man in front of him.

He moves himself closer to Severus, who moves his lips to kiss around Harry's jaw, causing him to gasp, and puts his arms around the man. At the touch, Severus finally stops what he was doing, and looks at Harry.

"This is why." Severus said softly, with a hint of sadness in his tone. He starts to pull away, probably thinking that Harry would change his mind now that they had stopped—that his mind would clear or something.

Well, his mind _was _clear. And he knew that he… (He gulps mentally) that he wanted this. Whatever this thing was. He tilts his head up, and looks at the man, the dark, forbidding man, with eyes that were blazing…and uncertain. He didn't think that he had ever seen him look like that. The thin lips were set firmly in a line, and he didn't want to see them like that. No…he wanted…

His eyes go shut as he leans up and kisses the man, who gasps in response, but kisses back immediately, wrapping one of his arms around Harry, as if he let go then Harry would leave.

"A good reason." Harry murmured, and kisses him again.

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_Day Five—11:59… _

_Day Six—12:00 Midnight _

A/N!!! Cliffy! Well, chapter six (AND seven) will give you a bit more. DEFINITELY more slash-y. Seven took longer to write than six because of…slash-y reasons, but I think it turned out well.


	6. In a week's time Part Five

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

WARNING: SMEX!

A/N: Guh. Smexy scenes are harder (no pun intended?) to write than the emotional ones, for me at least. But, I think that I did well…enjoy!

CHAPTER SIX-

In a week's time things will change more than you can imagine, Part V

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_Day Six-_

He had been shattered. That was all could be said. _Shattered. _He had distanced himself from Harry after their fourth night together, he had had to. For his own peace of mind, in the least. The very recent revelations had left more of a bitter taste on his tongue than he thought possible. To have the knowledge that he had somehow, someway, fallen for the Gryffindor brat, to have the knowledge that he had suddenly found himself looking at Lily's son, and knew that he loved him; it had left him shattered into pieces, which he wasn't sure how to, or if he could, put them together again.

It was more of the knowledge that it was Harry Potter, and Lily's son, (and that damned James Potter's son) that affected him the most, more than the knowledge that he was a man. Just barely by the skin of his death-defying teeth, he might add. He wasn't unfamiliar with being with another man; in the times of Voldemort (before, during, and after he became a Death Eater) you had to take the comfort that you could. Females had been few and far between, other than the times when he had to…do those things to them in the name of a sick megalomaniac. The Dark Lord had even encouraged relations between two men, making sure that no one of 'pureblood' would mix with Muggles. The times when they had…done those things, were different, because the Muggles would be killed anyway.

He shakes away these thoughts that he didn't want to think about right now, and focuses on the young man in his arms; his lips on his. How could he possibly think about anything else, do anything else when he had Harry in his arms now?

A frightening prospect; but one that was not so shattering now, now that he knew that Harry felt at least a _little _something for him. That was a start; more than he had thought that he would ever have. His day had been spent reflecting, being rather brassed off, etc… His brandy had seen better days, nearly all gone now.

The lips didn't taste like honey or anything clichéd like that, although they _did _taste clean, and simple, like water. Water couldn't be that clichéd could it? He could feel jolts rock up and down his body at Harry's hesitant touches at his back, rubbing hesitantly, but they made him feel such feelings that he couldn't hold back a shiver. But, being here—in this position, it made him also think of a few things. He starts to move his mouth from Harry's, and tries to move back a little, but Harry makes a sound deep in his throat, and holds onto him tighter. He shakes his head.

"Harry, are you sure? I mean—" He wasn't sure if he wanted to say it, and even more unsure of wanting to hear Harry's answer. By now Harry's head _had _to be clearing up and he, Severus, couldn't hear the word_ no. _He just couldn't. "Is this…?" _What you want? Could ever __**possibly **__want? Or am I still that ugly, disgusting, evil creature that so many assume me to be? In the very least, I am not evil. The other parts can be left up to…__**you. **_

Harry looks up at him, lips a bit red, licking them as he gazes at Severus and Severus finds himself fascinated at the sight. "I'm sure," Harry said, in a voice that sounded much deeper, and sounded convinced. It makes Severus gulp at the possibilities that he could think about now; things that had been put aside, things that he once could not have. "I…I know it's sudden, Severus. But, I…I've never wanting anything so much." The last part was whispered, and Severus was stunned at the sincerity in the young man's voice. He didn't count Harry having his parents, because he knew that part went unsaid regardless.

"Never wanting any_one _so much." He elaborated. Severus shakes his head in disbelief, and takes an involuntary step back; he just didn't get that sort of happiness. Harry grabs onto him, and pulls him closer, kissing him before Severus could growl some sort of response. No, instead, he moans and retakes control, holding onto one of Harry's hips with a brutal grip that would probably leave a bruise, and kisses him without any reservations, or holding back anything that he had before.

He thrusts his tongue in his mouth and he could dimly hear Harry's moan, felt it more than heard it. He comes to a conclusion, and pulls away from Harry once again, and shivers when he hears a keening sound come from Harry as he does so. He looks into the young man's face, into those extraordinary green eyes, ones that no longer made him think of only Lily; now he saw Harry, and Harry alone in them. He grabs onto Harry's hand, and starts to move towards the door on the right of the fireplace. He glances back at Harry as he takes a couple of steps, Harry having followed automatically.

"…Bedroom?" Severus murmurs. Harry blushes a little, but nods. Severus didn't want to think of the consequences, didn't want to think about how Harry was just of age, didn't want to think of what people would say, he didn't want to think about any of those things at that moment; he just wanted to think about and focus on Harry.

Severus keeps a hold of Harry's hand, feeling the slightly smaller hand give off warmth that he knew that his did not have. But, Harry didn't make any comment about it, or about Severus' hand, if it bothered him. Severus pulls out his wand with his free hand and waves it at the door, opening it with a silent _Alohomora _spell. The door opens and the room becomes quite clear, and out of the corner he sees Harry looking at the surroundings inside it;

Easily noticeable was the large four poster in the room, which took a lot of room on its own. It was black (of course), and had no curtains around it; the sheets and comforter were a rather silky looking black, with black pillow cases. There was a large dark wooden dresser on the left of the bed, a nightstand on the right side of the bed, with a small lamp on it. There was a small table also on the right which had one drawer on it, and looked to be used as another desk. He had a bigger one in his classroom after all. There wasn't a whole lot more, and he sees Harry take his fill in and look back at him.

There was a more noticeable nervousness in Harry's eyes, and Severus wondered if his own eyes reflected the same; it had certainly been awhile since the last person, and this situation was much more different than the previously one. He wondered if Harry was having second thoughts, and hoped against it. He _could _look through Harry's thoughts, but he didn't want to invade his privacy like that; Harry may not be able to forgive that, if he did so.

Had time passed only six days? It seemed like many more, the hours spent with Harry, talking with him, learning things about him, seeing him in a new way…and not to mention coming back from the grave, or wherever he had been. Hell, maybe? He didn't exactly believe in the notion of Hell the same way that the Muggles did, but he _did _believe in the concept of people paying for their deeds, one way or another, in this life, or the after one. He didn't remember being in a purgatory kind of thing or anything like that. Not that he remembered a lot though; and he didn't want to think about those things at the moment anyhow, he wanted—and would, focus on the delectable young man standing next to him.

On a closer look, Harry did look quite nervous; he supposed that it was only fitting. Harry had only ever been with that Weasley girl, (he didn't count the Chang girl—that had been too brief, and she had to be the weepiest girl that he ever saw.) and never with another man. Especially one such as him, Severus Snape! He didn't even want to _begin _to think about just how far Harry had gotten with the Weasley girl, or the Chang girl…it made his blood boil, and he didn't want to be angry in this moment, this very important moment.

He decides to bridge the silence, and nervousness. He takes the step forward, metaphorically and in reality, to stand directly in front of the boy-who-lived. He moves his hands onto Harry's shoulders gently, looking deep into those eyes. The nervousness wasn't as bad as before; maybe he really _had _been seeing his own in those eyes. Something else was burning hot in those eyes, and it gave him the last little nudge that he needed.

He moves his hands, and pushes the black robes down off of Harry. He was still quite skinny, but he looked much healthier than he had, (or he, Severus _ever _had.) he wasn't "lithe, but quite muscled." Or anything clichéd like that, things like that needed to be left to the wayside. Harry was skinny, and a little paler than he remembered, but his face had matured quite a long way, and he wasn't the exact carbon copy of James Potter anymore, and it was more than the eyes now that showed Severus that Lily still lived, through her son.

Her son, which he now knew that he was in love with. Hastily, perhaps, but he couldn't help what he felt; he felt like he had no say in any of this, and it wasn't as bad a thought as he could have imagined. He could have picked, he supposed, someone who wasn't so prone to duels to the death with Dark wizards, but who was he to call the kettle black?

He focuses on the shirt now. Harry doesn't pull back, or say anything, but he looks at him, and his neck was a bit red. He seemed _quite _focused to let him remove his shirt. The shirt comes off without a problem, and he finds himself looking at the chest with eyes that had to be burning, Harry had to see that—but, the young man looked better, and different, than he had expected (for how long he had expected) him to. Harry was only just starting to get some kind of muscle into his skinny frame; it wasn't much, but the added height he had gained in the last year had helped Severus to see something other than the ghost of James in the body, and attitude, and Lily in the haunted eyes.

Harry now looked away, and the flush was visible quite all over his body. Severus looks at him puzzled. Then it hits him, and he wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry; was Harry _ashamed _of how he looked? In front of _him_? How on Merlin's name could Harry possibly think that he was in some way, deformed because of his scar, or his body too small, or...How could he think that way when he seen what he, Severus looked like? At least the face, the too large nose, the yellowed skin on his face and hands from dealing with potions so much, and he made Harry look much bigger by comparison, his own skinny frame…could he really show that to Harry? No matter what, Harry should not, and could _not _be ashamed of anything, _ever_.

He moves his hand to cup the young man's face, and forces him to look up at him. He speared him with an intense look, and more than that. He wanted Harry to see just what he thought of him, and judging by the small gasp; Harry seemed to see something positive. "I don't want you to _ever _think badly about yourself, Harry," he growled. "Do you understand? You don't have anything to be ashamed of in any of this, if anything it is I—"

Harry suddenly kisses him mid-sentence and he finds himself unable to become angry at that. He closes his eyes in pleasure, and feels a little jolt as he feels Harry's own smaller hands move his own black robes off of his skinny frame. He tries his hardest to push his own insecurities aside, and just _enjoy _Harry, enjoy the moment. He felt hesitant hands run around his back, and then around his front. He sees Harry frown as he starts to undo the first few buttons on Severus' clothes.

Severus grabs the ex-seeker's hands, and moves them away as Harry makes a noise of frustration. He could _hear _Harry's thoughts without having to, as they come so frustrated and close to the surface of Harry's mind…at least that's what he _thought _the reason was… _Do you have to wear so many sodding buttons? _Well he _liked _what he wore, _thank you very much, Mr. Potter!_

Harry blinks and shakes his head a bit, as if getting rid of some excess bit of stuff. He pushes Harry forward, forcing him to walk backwards until he bumps into the bed. It looked unruffled, as if it had never been touched. He pushes Harry on the shoulders until he sits on the bed, letting Severus focus on the task (the lovely, lovely task) in front of him. He forces himself not to stare at Harry's chest too much, or he wouldn't be able to get to anything else, any other delectable parts of him.

He pushes Harry's legs apart, and kneels down in between them. He could hear Harry's soft, rapid breathing even over the hammering of his own heart—which seemed to be fluttering as hard as it ever had. It had been such a long time, and this was a totally different situation—this was _Harry, _and he couldn't bear it if he disappointed him. A little uncharacteristic maybe, but then again, _falling in love _with Harry Potter wasn't exactly the norm…at least where he stood. He had the odd feeling that someone was laughing at his expense. (Again, again!)

He moves his hands to Harry's trousers and moves one of them to the button. He looks up at Harry, who looks at him with wide and lusty eyes. Disbelief, and…_hope? _A range of emotions that he couldn't exactly figure out, though he hoped that a similar feeling of what he was feeling was in there.

"Are you completely, positively sure?" he prompts once again, he did not want Harry to come to resent him like he once had. Maybe be a bit angry at his snarkyness and sarcasm, but not the outright hatred that had occurred before. "If you're unsure…"

"I'm sure," said Harry, a little breathlessly but filled with an open sincerity. "I…I want my first time to be something special, to be _with _someone special…I've never felt like this before." With every word he had spoken quieter and quieter, and it was only because of his years as a spy, straining to hear the smallest detail, that he heard the very end.

The beginning of what Harry said stunned him as much, maybe even a little more, than the end. He had…_never? _But…he had heard all those rumors going around during Harry's sixth year, that he and that girl had…but they hadn't? He was still a… and he wanted Severus to...to be…_first?_

Harry looks at him anxiously, obviously misinterpreting something on his face, so he finishes what he started to clarify what he thought, felt. He opens up the snap without a problem and starts to take down the zipper, looking up at Harry, who sucks in a breath. He couldn't help licking his lips at the sight, and was rewarded by a shiver from Harry. He gets the zipper down, and looks at Harry again. He tugs on Harry's hips, who raises himself off of the bed just enough for Severus to get them past his hips so he could pull them off.

He does so with ease after that, and soon enough the underwear followed suit. He now got to see all of Harry Potter, Golden Boy of the Wizarding World, and it was all for him. The thought turned his head even more so than it had already been spun. Looking at the lovely boy in front of him, made him think that someway, somehow, by some_one_had been given another chance. And he didn't intend for this one to slip through his long fingers, either. He moves his head up, and Harry moves his own head down, as if anticipating what Severus was going to do, and their lips connect. He ravages Harry's mouth, wanting Harry to feel all the volatile emotions within him, how the passion, and the love, the lust, the friendship, the _everything, _had come together into such a feeling that he had to try and let it outward; he felt close to bursting with emotion.

Their tongues clash in an ancient battle, and it almost felt familiar, as if Harry had always been there, apart of him, being with him. He supposed this was what love truly felt like. He had never known 'true love', the key word being _true_. The love he had for Lily, he knew now, _had _been love, but it had never been as strong in the romantic sense as it had in the brotherly/friendship sense. He wasn't sure of the exact moment when that had happened, but looking deep within himself, he knew it to be true. That was always one thing that he strived to be; true to himself. As a spy, he played many roles and falsities and rarely knew truth, whether it was from others, or even himself. But, he had promised to himself that he would be true to himself, remember just what he was fighting for, and do all he could, and play his part well. And he had. He had paid the price for it, but feeling the way he did, and feeling the young man underneath his touch…it had been worth it, all worth it.

"Harry." He moans, unable to help himself. Harry didn't seem to notice or care, but kisses back with fervor that he hadn't thought possible from him. He pulls away, and the sight of Harry, flushed with passion and sweat, looking a little glazed as he looks at him, made him harden even more than he had been. Looking down, he could see that Harry was in quite a similar state. _Because of __**me**_, he thought a bit hazily. _I can…make him feel this way. _It was enough to make his head spin, but he knew that he had to keep a level head. He glances back down again. _Somebody _had to.

He moves his hand up to remove Harry's glasses. He removes his wand from his pocket, and sends the glasses over to land gently on the nightstand, and puts his wand back in his pocket. Harry blinks down at him, confused; it was easy to see in his eyes. He glances down at the quite impressive erection, and then looks back at Harry, licking his lips as he does so. He takes a quick kiss before moving his hands, lower, lower…

"You'll have to excuse me, I'm afraid it's been awhile…"he said, looking at Harry as his hands come to rest on his thighs.

"Y-You're going to…?" Harry squeaked. He looked quite astonished. And Severus now knew that part of it was the fact that Harry had never been with anyone before. He moves his mouth just over the purpling erection, holding Harry's hips down as he cries out. He wondered vaguely if he would be leaving bruises, but found himself enthralled with what he was doing, and with Harry. He moves his mouth down further, taking more of the shaft in, careful to keep his teeth back. Harry's moans and cries soon fill the air, and he was glad that he had an Imperturbable charm as a part of his wards; he didn't want anybody but himself to hear Harry. They didn't have a right, and he…somehow, someway…he did.

Harry's hands move to his hair, and he felt one hand keep a hold tight when he moves his tongue down to lick the vein. A tastier treat he would be hard pressed to find. Except perhaps, the rest of Harry himself. He could feel the moment, building, building, and he felt a huge stab of pride, and pleasure as Harry groans and his hand on his hair tightens brutally, his body stiffens and arches up into Severus' waiting mouth as he comes, and comes hard.

The backwash of semen didn't bother him, it only served as a reminder of what he had done to his Harry, how he could make him feel, and he swallows gladly, the slight salty taste went down without an issue, and he feels Harry's body soften, and he loosens his grip on Severus' hair, and falls back down onto the bed. Severus licks the last remainders of the come, and looks at Harry. He was semi-propped up on his elbows, and his eyes looked a little out of focus, but his skin had a new shine to it that didn't have anything to do with sweat, or the like, and he smiles down at Severus, a smile that wraps its hand, its slightly calloused hand, around his cold, (but somehow beating) heart.

"Y…You didn't have to…" Harry started his voice husky as his limbs shake a little. Severus moves off of his knees, which had yet to ache in the way that he had been used to. He still sometimes forgot how much he had changed within the past few days. It was only when he was brewing a potion, or reaching for something quite high, or something of that sort, that he realized that he wasn't aching all over, that he realized just what had happened to him. The fading aches were much more welcome than the difference in looks. He hadn't cared overly much about his appearance; he hadn't the time or had wanted anyone (with one exception).

He stands and starts to undue the buttons off of his clothes, and blinks for a moment as Harry sits up and starts to help. Although Harry's hands were a bit clumsy, and the slowness that came from the afterglow, they both managed to get it off without much of a fuss, and fairly quickly. He pushes the thoughts of insecurities aside as it comes off, he kicks off the boots and pushes Harry down onto the bed. He puts his hands on either side of Harry, and looks down at him.

"I know I didn't have to," said Severus, feeling a smile touch his lips, a smile that hadn't been on his face for ages. "Impertinent brat."

He leans down and kisses him. Really, who could ask for anything better? Even if the person you were kissing had a 'Here! I'm a walking target! Here!', or had some friends (see _Neville Longbottom_) who didn't know the right end of a cauldron if it hit them over their heads? None of that was important. And who knew…maybe he could possibly even _teach _Harry something? A seemingly impossible mission, but… perhaps in here, in the bedroom, he could teach Harry some new things. And maybe even give out some extra credit…

Maybe. 'I can teach you how to bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses…' Snog his senses away…

He felt a pleasant surprise, and thrill when Harry tugged on his pants. Pushing aside any doubts with a hard shove, he helps Harry in the task as it becomes clear that the young man's hands were too excited to do it himself, at least within a few minutes time. The pants were soon gone, and as they push themselves up better on the bed, he could see Harry stare frankly at him. It made him want to squirm under the scrutiny, but he kept his limbs firmly in check and told them to behave.

Harry looks all around his body, and then glances into his face. Harry's own face was quite red, but he still seemed determined to look. Severus raises a brow at him, letting him know, that even in these circumstances that he was still able to think with his head (the one with the brain, not the other one which felt a little neglected.)

"Um…I didn't expect you'd be going commando…" said Harry, staring blatantly at his arousal, which made it twitch a bit. He glares at it; really he had better self control than that! Down boy… And yes, he wore no underwear; he didn't have to, and it was much more comfortable this way. He gives a little graceful shrug of the shoulders.

"I didn't think I'd be in bed naked with Harry Potter," he murmurs. "So we were both surprised." Not that he minded. He pushes Harry back down onto the bed, a gleam in his eyes. He leans down, hair moving over his face as he does so, and kisses Harry again. Harry moans under him as he moves his hands again, this time touching his chest, and moving a cautious hand over a nipple which hardens under his touch. It pleased him to know that he had that effect over him.

He quickly moves his mouth from Harry's to go over the collarbone, the neck, the chest, eating up Harry's moans as he moves around, the sharp cry as he moves his tongue around a nipple and running his hand down his body, feeling him start to harden again. Oh the joys of being seventeen. He shudders himself as he feels Harry's hands start to wander, shyly touching around his body, seemingly enjoying himself as he did so, running his hand down his spine, making him groan against his chest as Harry found a particularly sensitive spot almost on his right side.

He starts to suck on a patch of skin just under Harry's collarbone, feeling the sudden urge to mark him, to let him, someone, _any_one know that Harry was his, _his! _Harry groans, and puts one hand on the back of his neck, and the other starts to wander lower. He jerks against his hand as Harry starts to shyly touch his balls, edging so close to his cock, but not actually touching it. He feels himself straining closer to that touch, pulling back in that moment to see a purplish bruise already starting to form where he had been sucking on and he kisses Harry again. Harry returns the kiss immediately, and seemed to feel a little more at ease with Severus' tongue in his mouth while he was fondling him.

He groans into that soft mouth as he feels Harry, finally, touch his cock. He moves his own hands and grabs Harry's cock, which had already hardened back completely, and runs his hand down it, feeling Harry's hips move and him give his own groan in response. He tries to hold back and keep from moving his hips into that delicious hand, but it had been so long, and this was so different from before. This was _Harry_, and he loved him—

He shudders against Harry and groans a release as Harry moves his hand down his cock one more time, just as Harry lets out a cry and jerks one final time against his hand, spurting jets of white into his hand and against their bodies. It felt better than he could have remembered, or imagined. They both shake for a few moments; still moving into each others hands, then they collapse down onto the bed, and back into reality. He tries to keep his weight off of Harry, and he moves his hand away from Harry's deflating arousal and moves to lie next to him. Their breathing was quite labored, and they just lie like that for a few moments, him at least reveling in the afterglow which had never tasted quite as sweet, perhaps because there had never been a time, a _person _like this before.

After a few seconds, or minutes, or hours, or whatever it was, he turns to look at Harry. Harry looks at him, there was still a faint blush across his cheekbones but he looked quite sated, beautiful, and…happy?

"Are you alright?" he said, his words slurring a little from the afterglow. Harry nods a little, and smiles.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Harry murmured. He looked a bit sleepy now. "And yes, I'm feeling happy. Can't you tell? I mean, aren't you happy too?" He closes his eyes. Severus' brows furrow. Yes, he was happy, but…wait, he asked if Harry was happy aloud!

"Harry, what—"

He looks at the rise and fall of his chest, the even breathing; Harry had fallen asleep. But that didn't help him what was going on.

Bloody hell.

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A/N: Wow, so that didn't go like I thought (the smexy stuff), but I'm happy. I hope you all are too. And don't think that is the end of it! You might be surprised at the next chapter . I just thought (once I got into the smex) that I might do something else rather than just go directly to penetration. I figured it would be best to start off with something else, and it's not like they won't get there! Plus, I needed to get this part down before I got to the other stuff, it makes it easier for me to write the penetrative part, plus it'll give me time in the next chapter for you to see what is going on, part of it at least. You'll be able to see some more of that plot! XD Ooh! And since this was Severus' POV then the next chapter with the smexy sex will be in Harry's POV. Awesome!

I hope you keep enjoying the story! I'm really enjoying working on it. And listening to Queen _really _helped me finish writing this chapter. Particularly towards the end, and particularly the song 'we are the champions.' Make sure to listen to that song and 'We will rock you' and stuff like that more closely, Freddie Mercury was a genius.


	7. In a week's time Part Six

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See Chapter one.

WARNING: SMEX!

A/N: (Blush!) If you're wondering why I've been naming the days, you'll see by the end of this chapter. I posted chapter six and seven together because I felt a bit guilty about not posting sooner although I post quicker than most people…anyway, enjoy!

CHAPTER SEVEN-

In a week's time things will change more than you can imagine, Part VI

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_Day Six- 11:05 p.m _

His eyes open, and blinks up at the blurs which kind of sort themselves out, though things still were blurred at the edges. Having to wear glasses was another thing his father left him, and he sleepily wondered if it was possible to correct your vision with magic, like Hermione did with her teeth.

"Finally in the land of the living, are you?" said a silky voice. He jumps a little, and moves his head to the side, and squints and sees Severus Snape (fully clothed other than his black robes…and boots?) standing in front of the bed, arms crossed, looking distinctively amused, and brow raised, smirk and all. He could feel his face burn as he looked at Severus, and he remembered that he at least was still quite naked (though under the sheet, somehow after he had fallen asleep he had been put in the black comforter, which was rather comfortable, and he had woken once, only once, during the night to see that he had spooned around Severus).

The events of last night had burned into his memory and he could feel the blush envelop him, feeling as if he would burn up if Severus kept staring at him, and like _that_, with that hot look in his eyes. He pulls up the cover a little more, trying to be discreet, but knew that wasn't possible as Severus was staring right at him. "How long have I been asleep?" he murmurs, wondering if he pulled the cover over his head, would Severus not say something that would make him burst into flames.

Severus moves his head to look at a black clock against the left side of the wall that Harry hadn't noticed before, but then again he had been _quite _distracted.

"Nearly eleven hours," said Severus, making Harry's eyes widen in surprise. That long?! And…just how long had Severus been up? Severus' mouth curls up on one end, in an almost full blown smile that made Harry's heart flutter just seeing it. "I don't know what sort of…activities…that you had been doing that would exhaust you so much…"

Harry could feel his face grow hotter, but he doesn't/couldn't look away. Severus takes a few steps forward, and walks around the bed to the side that Harry was laying on. His eyes glitter as he gazes down at him, and Harry could see something hot burning within their depths, the look on Severus' face made him feel something hot in his stomach, and he could feel himself harden (even more so than he had been). He didn't know that he _could _sleep that long; he had never had the luxury before, not unless you counted when he got injured, and he didn't. He didn't know that doing…that…would tire him out like that, but it had been _definitely _more than worth it, and after all, that had been his very first time…doing anything like…that.

Severus leans down, and Harry's heart starts to beat a little faster, and Harry knew that he was going to kiss him. He moves his head up to meet his, just as Severus moves down just _so_, and their lips connect. He feels a spark go through his being and outward, and he could feel one coming back at _him_, it was as if they were magical. Well, they _were_, but then again…this felt like something different, something special, and he knew that he had never felt anything like this before with Ginny, _ever_. He gasps, and feels, more than hears, Severus give a gasp of his own.

The feeling was just so _intense, _as if they two…was this what his father had felt for his mother? What his mother had felt for his father? His throat contracts against a sudden wave of emotion so strong and intense, that he actually felt tears prickling at his eyes. He wraps his arms around Severus, and pulls him down onto the bed with him. The next few moments were a blur of color, and sounds of moans and buttons being opened with haste and clumsy hands, groaning as they come off, as the pants soon follow, as they were both kissing each other in every place they could reach as they did so. Harry shudders as his skin comes into contact with Severus' and he felt that spark again, building…building…

Was this what…what _love_ really felt like?

He didn't even know that he had really been crying until Severus leans up and kisses the tears away from his face. Severus leans in closer, Harry had his arms wrapped around his neck, and he kisses Harry's neck, and starts to suck down on the sensitive skin. Harry cries out, and the former professor's hold grows tighter. He could feel the unsaid words just sitting like a ball of lead on his tongue, waiting to be said. But he was afraid.

He had never been in love before, and he picked a hell of a person to fall for, he didn't even know that people could fall in love this fa…He stares at the ceiling blankly, feeling pleasure from the embrace, the kisses, but he felt rather cold inside. He had no inkling of any sort that Severus felt anything more than what they were doing.

Severus pulls back, and looks down at him, brows furrowed, his lips rather red, more than Harry could remember ever seeing, the same for his face which was filled with color. "What is it?" he asks Harry. Harry just stares at him, unable to say anything, and even if he could…he couldn't possibly say…_that_. Why did he have to realize what his feelings were, had finally sorted them out, _now _of all times? "Is…something wrong?"

Harry tries to shake his head, and speak, but all that comes out of his mouth is a strangled sounding sob. Severus' eyes widen, and he tries to pull back, but he grabs him and keeps him close. Severus makes a sound. "'M sorry…I just…I—" _love you_. Something happens in that exact moment; he feels Severus body jerk, and he gasps against him, and he himself could feel something happen. It was as if a circuit that couldn't quite work before, had finally got the right amount of power, or source, or something had finally connected…it felt overwhelming, these emotions, and he thought that he had been feeling strongly before. It was almost as if he could—(he looks into Severus' eyes, who looks quite surprised and in shock himself)—as if he could _feel _the man's emotions. They felt so like his own, the strongest feelings, that he shakes his head in disbelief; no one had ever loved him for him. Except maybe his parents, but he didn't remember them. Ginny, thinking on it, loved him for what she thought he was, maybe not as 'the Chosen One', but her own ideal which she had since he had saved her, or maybe part of her had been attracted to him initially because of Voldemort, for awhile she had held a part of Voldemort within her, so the part must have been attracted to his scar…

But looking at the man above him, at _feeling _these emotions, he knew that he had never known anything like this before…maybe Severus had…with Lily Evans… Severus shakes his head suddenly; his eyes had a wild look in them that Harry had never seen in them before. The closest thing was when he had seen Snape (he had been Snape then) at his angriest, but this…this was something different from that.

"I didn't love her like that." He said to Harry suddenly. "I thought I did, and the feelings I had were strong…it was…only recently that I realized that I cared for her more as a protector, as a brother than as a lover. It was when I realized that…" **_I love you. _**

He didn't have to actually say it; Harry heard him. _And I love you. _His heart felt fuller than it seemed possible; he thought it might overflow with happiness. He leans forward and moves to kiss the older man, who accepts it and gives back so much, everything was happening so fast, and he felt like he could literally die from the feelings that he felt, the happiness that he now knew was not just his own.

He felt the man's hardness against him, felt his own push against the skinny stomach. He shivers, he wanted more. More than what they had had last night, it was a unfamiliar and slightly frightening territory, but he wanted to keep on exploring these new and exciting (and yes, slightly frightening) feelings and see where they went. He trusted this man, Severus Snape, it had been surprising to realize just how much, but he did.

--

The man's hands started to wander, and it made Harry feel sparks of pleasure arc up and down his being, trying to understand all these feelings, and just barely reaching the surface of it all. It was more than him, more than Severus; it felt bigger than either of them at the same time that it felt like it was _just _for them. Confusing, but real all the same. He focused on the man above him, kissing him. The time was for touching now, not for so many thoughts.

Hands moves over hot skin, he could feel the pleasure as strongly as Severus moves his mouth around one of his nipples. He had never known that such little things could be receptors for such pleasure and for a man especially! He quivered with anticipation, feeling like he wasn't doing as much as he could be doing, but Severus wasn't allowing him to touch him hardly any, and he tried to hold back a moan as those long thin hands make their way down his thighs, and lower. He really _does _cry out when one of those hands wraps itself around his throbbing cock. He jerks his hips into that delicious hand, and tries to hold back, but unable to do so. He could feel his eyes roll back up into his head, the pre-come from the tip being rubbed into the man's hand.

When he opens his eyes in a clearer manner, he looks and sees Severus looking at him, a question in his black eyes, and he felt a blush move into his cheeks. He gulps. He was unsure of where they were headed…but…but he—he loved Severus didn't he? And the man deserved to know some happiness in his life, and Harry knew that the man would not deliberately hurt him, a fact that just a year ago would have made him laugh at the person who even suggested it and then some. But, things had happened in such a short time, even before Severus had come back, right before, when he knew the real Snape in a way that he never did, saw what he did for his mother, for Lily. Were these new feelings, the sparks when they touched, the thoughts together, were they a sign of something new, or was this how anyone felt when they knew that they were in love?

He looks back into the older man's eyes, and nods. He would take whatever would come, however it would come, and hope that he could still have this man afterwards.

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The first finger slides in with a little resistance. It felt weird, a building pressure, and it was on the side of just hurting, but not quite. It burned as it went further in, and he sees Severus mutter something under his breath, the finger was removed for a moment as he sees Severus conjure a potion from nowhere (his potions stores maybe) open it up, sniffing it (to see if it was still good?), and puts some onto his hand.

He looks at Harry, and for a moment Harry could see a touch of vulnerability in those eyes, but only for a moment, and it was quickly gone. "Are you still sure you want this?" he asks. "If you're having any doubts—" Harry quickly kisses the man, letting his lips give him the answer, and feels the man's shoulders ease up, apparently having expected the worse. Of course it was not like the man had any sort of track record for a complete sort of happiness, not that Harry knew. Though he would now. The finger goes in once again, but this time meets with little to no resistance. Whatever was in the potion worked like a charm; and Harry could feel his body relaxing, getting used to the strange intrusion, which intensifies, but still doesn't hurt, when another finger gets added. He supposed that come didn't work so well for this sort of thing, and that made him blush a little more, but he keeps it firmly down.

"I—" He forgets what he was going to say when the fingers brush up against something, causing his body to jerk and for him to moan in pleasure. "W-Won't any-anybody hear?"

The former professor shakes his head, and looks down at Harry, with his own cheeks suffused with red, while the eyes were hot. "Wards remember?" Severus muttered, and _then _Harry remembered. He glances at Harry. "Do you think you can take another?" Well, he rather hoped so, if he couldn't then things would be shot all to hell and back, but he nods all the same. And a third finger moves its way inside. It felt full, and he starts to move as his body stretches out a little, those fingers hitting that spot again and again. He gasps, knowing that he would be coming and soon if Severus kept it up this way, and he didn't want to come like this, he wanted the man as close as possible. "Enough," he gasps. Severus looks at him, his pale body gleaming in the light. "I-I want you to…" _Be inside. _He couldn't quite get the words out, but he thought that Severus heard him, if the blazing look in the man's eyes were any indication.

The fingers were cautiously removed, and he hears the hitch in the man's breath as he applied some of the potion to his cock, which made Harry's own erection twitch. He scoots against the large pillows as the man moves himself between Harry's thighs; he looked quite beautiful to Harry in that moment. He knew that the man was not exactly the cover for _Witch Weekly _for most people, but in that moment he knew unequivocally that he really did love this man, the man who was looking at him with those eyes, and that expression. The man who had risked himself time and again for Harry, to protect him, to protect those he loved, who had put himself in a undesirable position to help Harry defeat an insane man who had been so afraid to die. This man who…

He pushes himself into Harry slowly, and Harry couldn't help but moan at the picture, at the look in the man's eyes, as if he was truly the only thing in this world for him. He knew that in this moment, that Severus Snape was the only thing in this world for him, oh yes, he did. It was slow paced for a few moments, letting Harry adjust to the larger, and longer, intrusion. He felt his body relax, and it felt rather good, more than he had expected. He feels the tension in the man, who was holding back, his arms jerk.

They both gasp as he moves himself completely inside. Sparks fly, literally and metaphorically. A blue light, not unlike the light that Severus had said he had seen after awakening from his death wraps around them, and Severus looks at him, disbelief in his eyes, he shudders and gasps as he thrusts inside Harry harder this time, his eyes looked crazed, and Harry could do nothing but moan and move beneath him—in the beginning, that is. The light continues to move around them, and it felt like Harry's very soul was being touched by the man's. "What—"

"Debeo Pro Vita" started Severus. _To be bound for life_. "Harry, I cannot ask you of this, but I cannot stop and I do not want t—"

"Debeo Pro Vita" gasped Harry, the thrusting never ceasing. He could no more stop than Severus, it felt like that overwhelming feeling again, but like this time it had a purpose…what it had been waiting for. _Bonding_.

"Mi Numerus Diligo." _My total love_. The thrusting continued on stronger, making the bed move a little, their skin touching one another, heat, pleasure, it was overwhelming.

"Mi Numerus Diligo," Harry repeated. He could feel the man's balls push against him as they moved, Harry's weeping erection between them, rubbing against the man's stomach, making him whimper and the man groan.

"Ligo nostrum animus."

"Ligo nostrum animus." _Tie our souls. _

It was as if the words were coming of their own accords, Harry could feel it building, building, just as much as he could feel the pleasure building, knowing it would be soon that he would just come apart.

"Advenio adultus."

"Advenio adultus." _Come of age_.

"Redimio pectus pectoris quod animus ut unus." _Bind heart and soul as one. _

"Redimio pectus pectoris quod animus ut unus." _Bind heart and soul as one. _

It was at a fever pitch, and Harry couldn't help crying out at the pleasure that his body, and his very soul, his essence also felt. The thrusting was going so fast, and so hard, that it probably should have hurt but didn't. The sight of Severus thrusting in and out of him was making his head spin, and he moans. He grabs onto the man's side with one hand, and starts to grab his erection with the other, but Severus takes it away and moves his own over it, the hot look in his eyes still so strong. Severus' own breath was strained, and coming out in ragged gasps.

"Ligo nostrum animus, redimio pectus pectoris quod animus ut unus!" _Tie our souls, bind heart and soul as one! _

The light flashes, and they both cry out once more as Severus thrusts in one final time, his hand stilling over Harry's cock as they both come. Harry didn't think he would ever stop coming, and the feeling felt so strong, inside, out and everything in-between. He looks into the man's eyes which seemed to burn with an inner fire so strong that Harry didn't know how they two did not burn. He could see the memories of the man flashing before him, felt those feelings as they came, and felt tears going down his cheeks, even as they both kept coming. He sees the tears fall down the older man's cheeks as well, and knew, _knew_, that he was seeing, feeling Harry's own memories.

Their lips connect as their bodies start to finally still from the spasms of pleasure, the aftershocks not quite so strong, but the feelings between them were strong, _stronger_, than ever. He knew now without a doubt that it really was love that Severus was feeling for him, and knew his own heart and soul now, that he too was in love. After another few moments the light around them dims down and seems to seep into their very skins. Severus moves out from him, causing Harry to gasp once more, and him to look at him sharply, the fire in his eyes having dimmed down.

"Are you alright?" he asks Harry, his voice sounding raspy and quite tired. Harry nods as much as he was able to, and feels a kind of barrier move in-between their minds, and essences. **_To protect us from getting too involved with one another. Bonded people have been known to go mad from not putting up some kind of resistance so they could exist in the world. We…we can still talk to one another, however, and share whatever we like, feelings can be sensed if you don't shield hard enough… _**

****

_So we're…bonded? Is…is that what we did? _

Severus moves a finger against Harry's lips, before moving to take a quick kiss.

"Yes, but…it's not that _we _did it exactly." He said, sounding rather quiet and a tad confused. "A bonding like this…it hasn't been heard of for over one thousand years, not since the Founders time. It was rumored that something happened then, and a pair of them had bonded but…" He looked at Harry, and seemed a bit sad, not what Harry wanted to see after something like what they shared, but after seeing and feeling Severus' memories and emotions…it was no wonder…

"There _are _bonding ceremonies, but none as thorough of the mind and soul as…as what we just went through. Harry." He said, looking as solemn as Harry could ever remember. "I…you know how…how I feel, but I did not want this. For you." He adds hastily at Harry's look. "I did not want to force you into anything you did not wish, I did not know about the Bonding, or that it could happen, but…as much as I have been wanting you, I did not, _do not_, want you to have to be tied down to a ugly, old man like me." And as much as the man tried to shield, and he did it well, one emotion came clear to Harry in that moment; _he was afraid. _He was afraid of being rejected, afraid that he had put his love in the wrong place again, only for it to slip out from under him and crush him.

Harry wraps his arms around him, feeling the stickiness but not particularly caring in that moment. He moves himself against Severus' chest and hears the heart beating so quickly, hoping that Severus could feel the love that he felt for him. Quick, true, but it was something that he wanted, and wanted to give to the man. If anyone deserved a measure of true happiness then it was the man he was holding so tightly onto.

_I love you. _

The older man makes a sound deep in his throat, and holds onto Harry tighter. Harry closes his eyes, wondering if they could get clean and he could lie down with Severus and let him know that he was loved. He felt surprise as he feels a tingling feeling, and opens his eyes to see the mess literally disappear before their eyes, and sees Severus look with the same amount of surprise as he. He looks at Severus.

"What I want is you, Severus. _You. _I don't think you're ugly or old, I don't." he adds at Severus uncertain look. "All I've ever wanted in my life is…is a family. Someone who could love me, see past all of this 'Chosen One' stuff, past what had happened to me, what _has _happened, see me as I am, and love me for it…and…I…I felt you feel that way. You are the person I've been waiting for." Severus shakes his head a little, and holds onto him tight for a moment before letting him go, and it wasn't until he was sure that Harry was comfortable under the cover that he put them under, and holds onto him, that he speaks; "You are…what I had thought her to be. But, you are more than that aren't you?" Harry nods, and Severus leans in and kisses him, his black eyes gleaming. And all of a sudden he smirks, and it made Harry's stomach do its flips while he looked, and now he knew why it did that.

"You just _had _to top what you have already done, haven't you, Potter?" he smirks at Harry. "Killing the Dark Lord wasn't big enough I suppose?"

"I—" He gets muffled by a kiss and couldn't feel any happier.

**_Even though I know it wasn't because of you, OR me. Someone must either hate me, or love you. Or the opposite. _**

****

_Someone has a twisted sense of humor? Something like that? _

"Mm, yes." Severus said, running his tongue around Harry's lips, and looked _quite _happy at Harry's shudder. "We'll just have to find out whom…later."

Harry quite agreed, and kissed back just as the clock goes off a bit loudly over on the wall. It was now midnight. Seven days had passed since Severus Snape had made his miraculous return to the living, what on Earth could possibly happen next? Harry wondered, but thought that those thoughts could wait…

He had to keep occupied didn't he? And he had to figure out just what he was going to tell his friends…

He moans into Severus' mouth, and pulls him closer.

Later.

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_12:00 Day Seven _

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A/N: In case you are wondering, the Bond had already started to develop…because of certain things… and the ceremony that they did just completed it.

A/N 2: Well! That chapter was quite hard to write! No (not much anyway) pun intended. I finally got to another part of the plot! Blue light anyone? Ron, Hermione's and everyone's reactions are sure to be interesting, I don't know, as I'm writing this part at the end, I haven't started with chapter 8 yet. I have an outline of what I'm going to do, but most everything is right on the top of my head. The Bonding between them was planned, although I must thank Lillyseyes story Critical Choices for giving me the necessary Latin that I needed. I love her story! She is one of my top 5-fave fanfic writers because of that story; it was post-HBP Snarry, which I had been looking for right after the HBP book came out.

Anyway, I hope you look forward to chapter 8, keep reading and reviewing! I'm also wondering just what a Beta does, and if anyone is interested… also, if anyone can draw let me know. I've wanted to do a Snarry collaboration with someone, hell; I'd like to do a Snarry collaboration even if its just involving fic! Email me, and/or let me know in reviews!


	8. Meeting people you have never met

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

A/N: I wonder how people like the Bonding, I hadn't really thought it about overly much as I started writing how they were getting closer, feeling the others emotions and stuff, but things always come out as I write, a few times unexpectedly even if I _do _have an outline, but it progressed into a Bond, and now I am rolling with it, turning it into something that hadn't been planned, as being tied in with a few things. Woot!

A/N2: LONG CHAPTER!! I wonder how people will like the direction that I will be taking, but bear in mind that some of this stuff I had planned from the beginning. You'll see…

CHAPTER EIGHT-

Meeting with people you've never met— but have always known

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He looks at the doors to the Great Hall with more than a little apprehension. Would people notice? Obviously Harry wasn't going to tell them in front of the whole of Hogwarts, but…

Harry looks at him, and pats him on the arm, as if he felt his distress, and maybe he had. He may have not been shielding as well as he had thought he was, or the thought of what would come up ahead had rattled him more than he would like to, and wouldn't, admit. The events of the last twenty four hours—hell, the events of the last week and more were enough to make _anyone's _head spin, even someone as level headed as Severus Snape.

**_When will you accost them? After breakfast perhaps…I can just imagine it. Weasley faints and Granger hexes me from here to kingdom come…or perhaps it is the other way around, and let us not forget that 'poor' Weasley girl whose heart you have damaged so. _**

****

_Hey! Well, I don't know about Ron and Hermione's reactions but d'you honestly think that I would allow them to hurt you? _Severus snorts at this, while Harry rolls his eyes. _Or that they could? And what would you rather me do? Go and find Ginny and stick my tongue down 'her' throa— _

Severus pulls Harry to him, and gives him such a thorough kiss, not thinking in that moment about who would see (as he was seething in jealously…though he would never admit to that, and he wouldn't let Harry know that), that it leaves both of them a tad breathless. He runs his tongue down the young man's bottom lip for a moment, and feels a surge of pleasure at Harry's shudder.

He pulls away, and lets Harry (try and) gain some equilibrium. He himself straightens his robes, and pulls a sneer, should anyone pass by that would send them flying. No matter what people thought of him, good or ill, he still wanted to maintain his intimidating presence. He may have found a little softness in his black little heart because of Harry, but that didn't mean that he would suddenly act like sunshine came from his arse, and spout nonsense. He was a sane person after all.

"Perhaps you should go ahead of me, Potter." He says, arms crossed over his many buttoned robe. "You may not want to lose anymore of your oh-so-wonderful reputation. And I would most definitely tarnish something—" He stops as Harry moves his hand over his and squeezes.

_No you wouldn't. People know what you've done for the Light, remember? And anyways…even if they didn't, that wouldn't change what I know, or what you've done. And…it wouldn't change how I feel. _

Severus wanted to snort at that, at something that unbelievable but he knew that Harry was speaking sincerely, and left him able to say nothing at all. He shakes his head, and moves forward, taking the initiative and pushes the doors open. As the roar of the student body and everyone else comes into sharper focus, the more the doors open, he turns to Harry.

"Things will be inevitably altered from this moment on, no matter what you do or do not say, I hope that you know that." He says.

Harry nods, and squeezes his hand once more before letting go, and taking a step forward. He lets Harry take a few steps ahead of him before he takes in and lets out a breath and walks forward. Into something…

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The Great Hall was completely empty. That was strange. It had sounded so noisy before they had walked in—they…wait. He looks around in confusion. Where did Harry go? He takes a look around behind him and beside him for a moment and sees nothing and no one in sight. The halls behind him and the Great Hall all looked the same, except for the fact that there was no one else around.

He takes a few steps forward into the Hall and notices something different this time as he walks forward; a young man stood in the middle of the room, between two of the House tables.

The doors close behind him, and he hears a clicking sound, he glances at the doors then back to the young man. As he walks closer he notices more things about the person in front of him.

He had black hair remarkably like his own, about the same length if not the exact same length, his nose was a bit shorter than his own (although there was _nothing _wrong with his nose, it had a Roman-esque quality about it) although his skin was just as pale as his, without the yellow additions (this young man must not spend his days and nights over potions like he did), and he was shorter.

He was only a couple of inches taller than Harry, (who _had _gained a bit of height, although he still wasn't that tall, not that he minded) and his eyes were much softer than his own—then again, _most _other eyes were softer than his own.

His eyes…were they a dark blue? For a moment, he thought that they were black like his… Even the clothes were the same, as if he were a miniature Severus Snape. It was a thought too ridiculous to believe. Just as it was ridiculous to believe that things just happened to clear up, he may be a lot of things, but one thing Severus Snape was _not _was a fool.

He crosses his arms over his chest, and presents the stranger with a sneer that always sent Neville Longbottom into tears. The young man didn't so much as bat an eyelash in fear (something which made Severus feel a smidge of approval in response), but he did take a step forward and stood in front of Severus.

"…I've got to say…I have been waiting a _long _time to see that patented Severus Snape sneer in person. But, I…no, _we, _don't have the time for it. I went through a lot of trouble to be able to see you like this. It's very, very important." He said.

"Important? Why, it must be! And for you to have managed to get past Hogwarts superior wards, and have somehow sent everyone away…I must hand it to you. You have managed a feat which even the Dark Lord himself did not manage for some time."

He nods his head in the young man's direction, all the while thinking of Harry, and wondering if something had truly happened to him, but then thinking of their Bond, and knowing that it couldn't be that simple, that he wouldn't realize if something had happened, new Bond or not.

The younger man just shrugs, as if it wasn't anything to be that excited over. "Yeah, well…it's not like _I _have bad intensions. Plus, a bit of my magic is different…but that's beside the point. The point is that something serious is happening, under the noses of every witch, wizard, Muggle, and otherworldly thing alike. From the moment that the Dark Lord was defeated." The young man said. "I tried to tell Harry a couple of days ago, but he did not remember. So I am looking to tell you, and I am hoping that at least _you _can remember. Something _has _been trying to block me, but I have managed to see you all through these…_visions_, for lack of a better word."

"Just say what you have been trying to say, and get it over with. I want to get to breakfast sometime this century." And make sure Harry is alright and safe, although he didn't say that aloud, the sudden little smirk on the other's face made him wonder though…

"Right after the Dark Lord fell; the few and I mean _few _Death Eaters left have been putting a plan in motion. They are trying to find any means to resurrect the Dark Lord," The words sat cold on Severus' soul, and he instinctively reaches out with his immense Legilimens skills to see if that were true, if this young man knew this information then he could see how he got it, and see it he was sincere.

He was surprised to find the man's mind completely open, as if waiting for that response. He sees flashes of people, things, an interesting looking ritualistic magic by the young man in front of him, which he realizes is what he uses/used to see Harry. And many other things that he couldn't see as they were moving too fast, even for him.

"They have been searching for _any _means of resurrection that they can find. The ritual that was used on the Dark Lord cannot be used for a person who is fully dead, at least not after having split their soul eight times. They have also been searching for…a per—so—n…"

The figure of the young man starts to get distorted and he looks down on himself. "Damnit!" He looks at Severus. "Things are going the way it did with Harry. I don't think that I can get you to remember everything, if anything. But, I want you to remember _me_. Even if not _of _me, then at least the impression that I mean no ill will. I swear to you that I mean you and Harry no harm! I only sped along—"

He flickers and disappears. Severus looks at the spot where he was in a bit of shock, then looks around the Great Hall as it starts to swirl around and dissipate in a swirl of green. It was then, as the space gets smaller, that he notices that the green was from a set of eyes. Bespeckled eyes, _Harry's _eyes. How strange. He looked like he was going to say something…

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He blinks and looks down as he sees Harry touch his arm. He looks at him confusedly. He felt like he had just been through a Portkey, or eight. Had he actually spaced out? What an example he was setting!

And what had he been thinking about? It seemed rather important as well. He vaguely remembers a blue swirl in the middle of…something. And…black hair…perhaps he had been thinking of Harry?

"You okay, Severus?" Harry asked quietly. "You kind of blanked for a second or two. I asked if you wanted to go ahead of me." The Hall doors were opened, and they had taken a few steps in and people were staring. He snaps out of it immediately, and glares at every gawker, who look away. Harry moves his hand, and they both walk inside the Great Hall.

**_Perhaps you should sit with your friends Weasley and Granger at the Gryffindor table, so you three can talk. _**

****

Harry looks at him, eyes widening. _I can't tell them about the Bond 'here'! There would be no way that I could tell them 'anything' about that in here, it'd spread faster than wildfire!_

Severus could feel his eyes rolling and didn't care if people saw that, because he could just glare at them later if he liked. **_Well then at least talk to them about other things. They might feel a little neglected by now, since you have been 'babysitting' me. _**

****

_I never 'once' saw it as that! I never saw being with you this week as a burden! _

He fought not to roll his eyes again, all the while thinking on what Harry said; it had indeed only been one week, an amazing week to be sure, but one week nonetheless. How had things progressed so quickly, he did not know, but that didn't mean that he was _upset _by any means!

**_I know that, Harry! But your friends do not. And it would do you good to see other people in the whole of Hogwarts other than your greasy, old, Potions Master, and ex-Defense teacher. _**

****

_Severus… _

**_I know! _**To soften that, he adds; **_I know that you don't feel that way, I really do, Harry. Now go._**

Harry nods and heads towards the Gryffindor table where his friends were sitting, and who engage him in conversation the moment he sits down. He, on the other hand, moves towards the staff table, and takes his customary position on the other side of the Headmaster's seat, which was still empty. He had a feeling that today would be another one of those days. As if he hadn't enough of those as it was!

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Checking to make sure that Severus had made it all the way to the Staff table and taken his seat, he turns to his friends.

"Where have you been doing all this time, mate?" asked Ron. "Has Snape been making you brew some awful potions or something? I mean, I know that you were trying to be nicer and it wouldn't surprise me if he tried to take advantage o—"

"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione. Ron seemed to be a bit out of breath after saying all of that in a rush. Harry felt a surge of guilt at not letting his friends know what he had been doing. The least thing he could have done was gotten Kreacher to let them know that he was at least, alive or something.

They probably didn't want to venture to the dungeons again after his outburst and such. And the sight of Severus (Snape to them) being nice to him, must have sent Ron flying.

"Harry," started Hermione. "We've just been…worried about you, not that we don't trust Snape," she adds hastily, while Ron adds 'I don't know about trusting Snape…' "It's just that we haven't seen you, and…what _have _you all been doing? Has he been teaching you some spells or some different kinds of potions? What have you all been doing with your time?"

Harry felt a blush that _really _wanted to come up and tamped it down very firmly. All he needed was for things to get loose in the Great Hall, as great of a best mate that Ron was he had the tendency to sometimes get a little loud. To say the least! He tries to think of something he could say that would give them an idea, but not _the _idea.

"Well…we've been talking mostly," said Harry. There! That was some truth; they _had _been talking mostly, right up until a short while ago anyway. "I've learned a lot more about him then I would have thought." _And then some. _

"And he's learned some stuff too. He…he actually sees _me _now, not James Potter. And that…" He trails off, unable to say anymore. Hermione looked at him a little more closely than he would have liked, Ron just looked dumbfounded at the thought that Severus Snape could possibly show anything other than contempt or anything of the like.

He looks at them for a moment. "Um…I'll tell you two more later, okay?" He glances nervously at the other people near them in the Hall, probably listening as close as they possibly could for some information. "Somewhere that's a little more in private." Hermione nods at once, understanding. After a moment of glancing around, Ron nods as well. These two he trusted his most secret of secrets to; even if they may not like them.

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A faint light flashes in front of two graves and a burst of blue light comes forth, causing the two headstones to break up into thousands of pieces. The first light forms into a form of a young man, black hair, black clothes, and dark eyes. Either blue or black, too hard to tell.

He stands before what used to be the headstones and instead now had two people standing in front of the exact spots. The one on the left held a man, with black untidy hair, hazel eyes and glasses. The one on the right held a woman, with long red hair and bright green eyes. They look at the young man in surprise.

"I need your help," the young man said. "It has to do with Harry and with…the Dark Lord."

The pair's eyes widen and they look at each other for a moment, then at the young man. They seem to unconsciously grab each other's hands and seem utterly surprised that they could touch one another. The young man smiles at them.

"Yes, it's different this time. Not like the ghostly figments you were when you helped Harry last time. This time is different."

The man nods and the woman speaks up.

"To do with Harry and Voldemort, but wasn't he destroyed?" she asks.

The young man nods. "Yes he was. But, some of his stragglers are trying to find the means which to resurrect them. Which would mean…what I can do…or other methods, I need you two to help me. Harry too, and Severus of course."

The man speaks up this time. "Snape? Why would Snivellus Snape need _our _help?"

The woman frowns. "James! You know I don't like you calling him that! I didn't like it back then, just like I didn't like Sirius to say it either! At least Remus never did."

The man, James, looks at her with a bit of exasperation. "Come on, Lily. You remember some of the stuff that he told to us. Especially to _me_."

After a moment the two seem to remember where they were at, what had happened, and that someone else was standing in front of them; waiting. (Although he was a bit amused.) They seem to then realize that they were indeed alive, and looked shocked at it all. They also looked exactly as they did when they died.

"So we're…really alive?" asked Lily. The young man nods.

"I did what I could and apparently it works, which I had been hoping for." The young man said. "We can go to Harry and the lot of them soon enough, but I need you all to come with me and make a few extra stops."

"For?" James asked.

"Well, you want to see Padfoot and such again, don't you?"

They both look surprised, and then nod. The young man tosses them a couple of things which sort of like pieces of wood…

"Alright then!"

A flash of light goes off once more and in the next instant all three were gone, along with the tombstones. In the space that had once held two graves now looked as though that nothing of the sort had ever been there; in fact it looked like normal ground now, with a couple of flowers blooming on top.

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A flash of light and three people appear. The surroundings looked dark and not very inviting, the sounds coming from a large veil looking thing in the middle didn't help much either. The red haired woman looked a bit unnerved for a moment, but then she seems to pull it all together, the untidy haired man squeezes her hand.

"This is where Sirius fell?" James said, more to himself than an actual question. "God, I hope that it wasn't _too _awful…"

The youngest looking man walks up to the Veil, as he gets up to it his eyes seem to reflect something off from the Veil which gives a eerie sort of glow to his eyes, or perhaps that was from something else.

"This will be a bit trickier since it's the Veil…" muttered the young man. The other man and the woman walk closely up to him, looking at the Veil with a mixture of intrigue and mistrust. "Let's see…" He pulls a small looking mirror from his pocket; it looked remarkably like a Tabulas Loquoram, except that it had strange looking ruins around it.

He looks at it for a moment, and it looked rather blank to the other two, but he seems to see something in or on it, because he nods slightly and raises it up to the Veil just as a blue light seems to emanate from his palms, the light envelops the Mirror and it shoots at the Veil. Loud screams pierce the almost empty room, and the other two look around in alarm, wondering if they would be discovered.

After a few tense moments the light finally starts to dim down, and the Veil was clearly shown to be opened up. A smaller blue light emanates and a man with shoulder length black hair and dark eyes comes from out of the Veil, as soon as he steps out the Veil moves back and is whole again.

The man blinks for a moment, he looked much younger than when he had died, and before he had went to Azkaban. He looked healthy and…quite surprised. Then he looks downright shocked as he sees the pair standing behind the young man.

"James? Lily?" asked the man hoarsely. They nod, and he looks even more shocked when the young man grabs his hand and hands him a wand.

"I'm…" he seemed to be unable to finish what he was going to say.

"Quite alive." The young man said. "And like I told James and Lily; we have to make a couple of other stops before going to see Harry and company. The last remaining Death Eaters are trying to resurrect the Dark Lord…Lord Voldemort."

"Bloody hell!"

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The site was a familiar one to one of the four who appear after a few _pops _and a faint flash of blue. Although no one knew that it was the youngest of them that had been here, but only once. In front of them was a white tomb and they all knew (some of them just now getting put up to speed) that it held the greatest wizard of this generation; Albus Dumbledore.

The young man walks up directly in front of the tomb, running his hands over its surface. As he does, faint writing starts to appear from where he touches, coming in a faint blue script that didn't look like a familiar language to the others, other than it looked similar to the runes around a Pensieve, though this had more to it.

A faint glow washes over the tomb for a moment, light blue in color as the others look on. The young man murmurs something under his breath and the words turn the shade of Gryffindor red and gold, a Ring was visible on his left hand for a brief moment before it gets enveloped in a larger blue light that emanates from his palms, a familiar thing to James and Lily who had seen it when Sirius had been brought back.

The tomb suddenly flashes solid white outward and they all could hear a crowing of a phoenix, which makes itself visible in the next moment right above the tomb. The light gets to be so intense that the four of them shield their eyes and in the next moment the tomb literally breaks apart.

As the light dies down, they turn to see Albus Dumbledore lying in his resting place, the Phoenix, Fawkes, crowing once more, still hovering above. But this Albus Dumbledore looked different then any of them had ever seen.

He looked younger, his hair and beard were the same length as when he died but they were now auburn, and his face was barely lined, although when he finally opens his eyes, the same wisdom could be seen within their depths.

He sits up, before starting to stand up a little shakily and then more steady as the young man helps him to his feet. He looks at the young man briefly, and then his eyes move to the Potter's and Sirius Black. He looks back at the young man who removes a wand out of his pocket and hands it to him.

Albus receives it with uncertainty for a moment, then his eyes seem to settle back into this plane of existence, his thoughts at that moment could not be known.

"How many more?" is his first sentence out. James, Lily, and Sirius didn't seem to understand the question but the young man answers immediately:

"Four more now." The young man said. "Besides S…the first one, I had to do everything else in order, for it to work best. Plus it gives time to get everyone up to speed."

Albus nods, and the others, Sirius especially, wondered just how the two knew one another when Albus had been dead, and the other had not been around. Sirius thought that it could have happened after _he _died but he doubted it…

"And the rest…the Bond has been realized then?" The young man nods and Albus looked rather pleased. "Severus is fine then…things went smoothly with the resurrection?" Another nod from the Severus Snape look-alike (minus a few minor details). "And Harry and the others? All fine?"

Another nod and that seemed to be enough for Albus. He gazes at the grounds of the school for a few moments, then at the castle itself. After another moment he turns to the three that had stayed back during this conversation; Fawkes now was flying right by Albus' left shoulder.

"Ah! My friends!" he said. "I have been remiss in my attention, for that I apologize. I just had to make things were running smoothly…it's good to see all of you again." He smiles warmly at them, arms outstretched as if this were the beginning of a new Hogwarts school year, though this time his hand was also whole again, no trace of the curse was left.

He lets down his hands and continues to smile as they do so and nod. The young man steps back for a moment as he lets the other four have an embrace, it having been some years for some of them, seeing each other.

A couple of minutes pass and then they all pull away and Albus turns to look at them all.

"Well! Enough of that! We must go get Alastor after all—"

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The grounds were a bit muddy as they appear and walk, though nobody seemed to mind overly much. They were all silent as they approached the spot. It had been Albus who had actually pointed out the spot (after speaking in whispers with the young man for a few moments first, the young man had made a vague sort of gesture then Albus suddenly says that he knew where they had to go).

Lily shivers a bit against the sudden bite of cold, causing James to wrap his arms around her more closely. Sirius smiled at that, though he looked a little distant, perhaps thinking of wanting a person to wrap _his _arms around, or vice versa. Or perhaps he was just missing the person whom to do it with…

The young man didn't seem to take all too much notice of the cold, seemingly focused on what needed to be done. Albus as well seemed distant, but no smart person would mistake it for carelessness, for Albus Dumbledore was not careless; he may have been a lot of things (according to other people), but one thing he was _not _was a fool.

They all come to stand on the grass in front of a patch of grass and a larger tree than the others around it, as they approach a small blue light comes from the young man and a similar light appears first on the tree, then a beam of blue light comes from the symbol and onto the ground.

"Stand back." The young man said.

The others, curious, do as their told but continue to look on in wonder. Albus seemed intrigued, though not totally surprised. He raises his hands in front of the spot, and once again a Ring was visible for a split second before being engulfed in blue light which shoots down onto the ground.

After a few moments a man starts to appear, familiar to all of them (except the young man this time), with a few exceptions. His face didn't look like it had been carved by an inexpert person, and he two whole legs, he looked younger than he had, although he still had the magical eye.

"It's useful." The young man mutters.

The man off of the ground looks at them all (with both eyes) and stands to his feet, steadily, though he seemed a bit shocked more with having two whole legs than at the appearance of all of them, even though he was _quite _shocked at seeing them all, especially since who some of them were. His eyes lock with the young man's for a moment though.

"I have no clue what has just happened, or why you are suddenly here Albus. If you are indeed Albus, tell me your favorite jam and I'll believe that all of you are who you say you are," he said, still looking at the youngest of the group.

"Raspberry and I haven't tasted some in a good while."

That seemed to satisfy Mad-Eye, but he was still looking at the young man who seemed rather calm on the whole.

"And you? Who are you?"

The young man starts to speak but he gets cut off from behind;

"Sorry to break this up gentlemen," said James, running a hand down his wife's back. "But shouldn't we be on our way? Mad-Eye can be filled in on the way and besides…my wife's getting cold."

Lily gives a look to her husband, a mixture of exasperation, amusement, and love. Sirius nods his head in agreement and turns to look at the others. The young man nods as well, followed by Albus, (which seemed to be the point Mad-Eye was waiting for, because he finally nods as well.)

With a _popping _sound and a flash of light, they were all gone.

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- -

"Are you _sure _that we won't be noticed?" Sirius asked for the third time in the last couple of minutes. They were all walking down a corridor inside a familiar looking castle. The young man rolls his eyes briefly and gives Sirius the same answer that he did last time;

"_Yes_! For the last time! This invisibility can be likened to Harry's invisibility cloak; although this _does _have a limit on time, as I can't push _all _my energy towards it." That seemed to _finally _satisfy the Animagus and he falls silent.

"So who're we bringing back this time?" James asked, hands in pocket and walking next to Lily who seemed to be looking around at the castle as they walked; probably taking in all that had changed and stayed the same since the last time she was in the castle, maybe reflecting on memories. "Who died next on this _list _that you have to do just right?"

"Ah," said the young man. "That would be Remus."

He heard footsteps falter behind him, and hears Sirius make a sound deep in his throat. They all turn to look at Sirius, who looks at them all with haunted eyes; and a few of them knew the reason why. Nothing more was said and they continue on, with Sirius' steps never faltering, if anything, he seemed to be moving faster, quickening his steps.

They all pass around the corner and Lily inadvertently freezes up a bit as Peeves flies past them, singing a rather lewd song, not bothering to keep his voice down. But, he seems to take absolutely no notice of the lot of them, and that made everyone who had a bit of doubt left, feel better.

Because Peeves the poltergeist would never just keep moving on when he had the opportunity to mess with people, that was like saying that the world was flat, or…or that ex-students who once hated their teacher and wanted to kill him, suddenly fall in love with them and…oh, wait…

They finally come to a door, it was made out of oak, but it was blackened and had a symbol on it; it was the place where they were holding the bodies of those who had died were being held here. Minus one…

The young man steps to the side and lets Albus step next to him, who also starts to perform some vague motions with his hands, muttering something under his breath, after a moment the young man does as well.

There was a faint flash of blue and white light, the others look towards the door, but it looked exactly the same. Albus reaches for the door handle and it opens with ease, making not a sound. Mad-Eye looked unimpressed, but it was hard to say what he was actually feeling, if anything else.

"Wards, my dears," said Albus with a familiar twinkle in his eyes. "They wouldn't just put a simple Alohomora spell on it, after all."

Mad-Eye rolls his eye, the magical one spinning around in every direction.

"Oh, yeah. And Tonks too, she'll have been put in here as well along with Remus and…oh hell! And Fred too," said the young man exasperatedly. "Oh well. At least it can be finished in one go…"

The door gets opened wider and Albus walks inside, followed by the young man, Sirius, James and Lily, with Mad-Eye bringing up the rear (probably looking out for spies or something of that nature; better to be a bit paranoid than to be unprepared, one could suppose…CONSTANT VIGILANCE!).

-----

The room was a fairly large size and it smelled nice, even though it held dead bodies inside; the house elves must have been on double duty. There were rows of bodies on tables, some looking peaceful in death, others looking petrified, while others had a blank look upon their faces. They all walk down in-between the rows grimly, searching for the familiar faces that they were looking for.

Finally, towards the back one of them notices something.

"Hey! Here they are!" James called to the others. They come walking over, and they all look down on the faces of Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks (Lupin) and Fred Weasley in death; they looked peaceful, unless you looked closely, then you noticed their brows looking furrowed as if in pain.

The young man looks around for a moment, glances at the three bodies, then to the group. "I think we should take them to another location for me to resurrect them…I don't think that they would like to wake up, come alive, inside of _here_, I know _I _wouldn't." They all nod in agreement, rather looking like they would like to get out of here as soon as humanly possible.

A large flash of light and all people, the living and the three dead, all disappear.

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Harry looks around, glad to see that the hallways were empty as he, Hermione, and Ron all walk. He kept looking for the right door, the right place to tell them…to tell them… well, they needed to know all that had happened, and that he, Harry, was Bonded. And to…

They were quiet, as far as he could hear, and was grateful for that; he needed to get his thoughts and emotions in check. He had left with his friends after breakfast, (sent Severus a goodbye mentally, telling him that he was going to Gryffindor tower) and they had gone to Gryffindor tower. It was pretty empty, surprisingly, which would have given him the perfect opportunity to tell them, but it just didn't feel _right. _

He felt like he was waiting for something, the perfect moment, a signal maybe… something which he hadn't found yet. So they had all talked, and practiced a couple of tricky spells, and had went to lunch, with the same end result; he had been unable to tell them, but it was now after dinner and he knew that he could not hold out any longer, he knew that he needed to tell them—

He stops very suddenly and nearly has Ron knock into him as he comes to stand before a door; and he knew then that _this _was the time to tell them, _this _was the place. The time had finally come…

"Mate? You okay?" Ron asked.

He nods absently, and hears Hermione behind Ron. "Finally find a place for this big secret?" He nods again, misses the look that Ron and Hermione give each other, and reaches for the door handle. His palm starts to tingle as he touches the handle; he felt a nervousness that was quite suddenly ten times larger than it had been mere seconds ago.

He was about to open the door when he hears footsteps behind them, and they turn to see Severus Snape there now, eyes burning hot as he looked at Harry; making Harry try not to blush, with his already sweaty palms. Ron and Hermione look at Severus, then at Harry, wondering what was going to happen perhaps, or what _had _happened. He takes in and lets out a breath.

He gathers up some Gryffindor bravery and pushes the door open. He hears Hermione gasp behind him, this time Ron _does _bump into him, Severus takes a small intake of breath, and all he can do is stare…

"Hello there!"

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A/N: Cliffy! Does the Snarry dance I am _so _happy with how that turned out! It turned out better than I imagined it in my head; I had been worried on how I was going to fit all the resurrection in one chapter, and then I got to the Remus-Tonks-Fred part and I knew what I was going to do with that part, so yay!


	9. You mean there IS some plot in there?

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

A/N: On chapter nine already? Wow. I started this story _immediately _after reading Deathly Hallows, and I mean the second I put it down, I just _had _to write, as the inspiration was so big! Anyways, thanks for all the reviews and such, the amount of people subscribing to _my _story, putting on their story/author alerts, and having someone making _me _one of their favorite authors, and _my _story one of their favorite stories… it's just…I hope all of you know just how much all of that means to me. It makes me feel like that all the hard work, pouring everything I have into my writing…that it has been worth it. Thank you.

A/N2: I am also (finally!) in the process of writing my own original story, it is a medieval/futuristic/fantasy/slash/etc book that I would like to try and publish, if you want to know about the characters and so forth, you can email me at my sbyamibakura email at Or just feel free to email me about anything; I also have a livejournal under the name PhoenixJustice and a myspace (since all my friends said I should) under the name MirroredVeil.

CHAPTER NINE-

Um…holy crap. Oh! You mean I can actually learn about some _plot_? Woot!

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Seeing Severus and Harry in person was a bittersweet kind of thing for him. Although he had seen Severus when he had resurrected him, he had kept himself from really looking at the man, too many memories getting brought up, good ones, and also ones that made him remember why he was here, why he was doing all of this. They both reminded him of people that he knew…back home…

He unconsciously runs his finger over a silver ring on his left hand; it held two lions intertwined by a serpent, all which moved, on its right was a gold ring with a black stone that had a line down the middle.

He watches as Harry gets waylaid by his parents and Sirius, watches Severus getting hugged by Albus, looking quite as shocked as Harry did; he had after all been the man's killer after all, _for _the man, but still. Remus looks uncertain for a moment, younger than he ever had in Harry's presence, he knew, no gray tarnishing his hair, and he was no longer lined like he was, but then embraces Harry, who looks surprised but happy.

He sees Ron and Hermione, looking stunned and receiving hugs and Hermione was speaking to Ron who was just staring dazedly at everyone.

He watches as Tonks runs over to Harry, trips for a moment, and then hugs him hard. Mad-Eye was talking low next to Severus and Albus, looking intense. He sees James looking at Severus with narrowed eyes, with Severus doing the same. But then Lily notices this, glares at both of them and they actually shake hands. James looks down at their hands for a moment, a brow furrowed, and then pulls back. Severus looked a little unnerved for a split second, as if his (former?) rival had somehow discovered a secret.

He looks at all of this, and thinks about where he came from, what he had been missing and it pulls at his heart more than he would have liked it to. The people that he had left, had lost, the people who had all once loved him, and who he loved…

He blinks and comes back down to reality as he notices everybody, Harry and Severus especially, turning to look at him. Both their brows furrow.

"Don't I know you?" Harry asked.

He says nothing, unable to get anything out in that moment, his heart racing, mind enveloped in memories that did not involve these two.

"Yes…now that you mention it, Harry," said Severus either not hearing, or ignoring the exclamation from Sirius behind him and Harry. More than likely the latter. "I do believe that I have seen this person as well." He continues to say nothing, and Severus raises a brow. "Well?"

He finally manages to open his mouth, having no clue what he was going to say (not the _complete _truth; no one could know all of it…), when Harry blinks rapidly for a few moments, Severus does a few seconds later and the Gaunt ring starts to glow blue in the stone for a moment.

"You!" They both exclaim.

He smiles. They sounded like they remembered…his smile almost falters at this thought. It didn't matter, after all, they remembered him visiting him and that was the important thought.

"Yes, me." He said. "I should _finally _give you my name, I suppose."

They looked expectant, Severus was a person that was hard to read, but he had had practice, in many things, before he came here. He gives a slight bow of the head, smirking, hoping that he was managing to emulate Severus quite well; he wanted to make a good impression after all.

"My name is Draven Alexander Cirle, but you can just call me Draven, if you would."

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Draven.

_Draven. _

It sounded like a good name to him, he thought. He now finally remembered the conversation they had had, how Draven had somehow managed to propel himself into his dreams, if they were dreams. He glances at his Bond-mate, and sees Severus with about the same expression that he had on his face. He glances back at Draven.

Draven had been the messenger, telling everyone that people were trying to resurrect Lord Voldemort, a scary thought in and of itself. He didn't have a hard time believing this man, even without the information that Severus had given to him; that he had swept through his mind and found nothing but the truth, there was just something about Draven that spoke of honesty and integrity.

_Loyalty. _

He was still in a paralyzing kind of shock, he looks at his parents. His _parents_ and they had said something; something about Draven being the cause of all their resurrections, that something big was happening, and he said that… he couldn't catch the rest, as he was in such a state of shock.

He takes a better look at them, they looked so young! Just like the day that they had died, as if that had been nothing but a bad dream, except this time Harry was grown, but they had not aged to make up for it. His heart was racing a mile a minute, and distantly in his head he knew that he would now have more than just Ron and Hermione to tell about his Bond, but the rest of him was so overjoyed that he forgot about almost everything else.

But, not _everyone _else. He felt Severus in his mind, and he too was very happy (even if James Potter was a part of it all), and happy for Harry, even if he himself didn't get along with his father.

He had his _father _back! Not only that; he had his father _and _his mother back! He looks at Draven. Just how on Earth could you possibly show your thanks to someone who had done so much? He wasn't sure.

"Okay!"

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"Okay!" Everyone turns to Draven, the slightly shorter Severus Snape look-alike, and quite suddenly he feels that pressure again, but pushes it aside, knowing that they needed to know what had taken place…well, most of it anyway.

He removes a wand from his pocket and waves it around, changing the surroundings, desks, hard backed chairs, and such, and changes them to a wall surrounded by black, with a roaring fire, and comfy looking armchairs that were also black, although they were nowhere near the poofy kind that Slughorn had transfigured himself into.

He puts his wand back in his pocket, and sits himself down at one of the chairs. Everyone starts to slowly walk over and find a chair to sit in, Severus and Harry ended up in chairs sitting next to each other, and directly across from him. Mad-Eye was the last person to sit down, apparently still suspicious—of taking such a vulnerable position, not that he didn't trust him, Draven. If he didn't, then he wouldn't have let him take the lead and take them around—when he could have obviously did something to them.

"Okay," he repeated. "So obviously you all know want to know the whole story—well, you see part of it in front of you," He gestures at all those who had been resurrected by him. "It started with—" He gets interrupted by Ron who looked a bit pale, still in shock, but his eyes were quite alert, it seemed that he was just as quick minded as—

"Wait, so you…you're really the one who did this?" he gestures vaguely at the people. "…Brought them back? I mean…all by yourself? How…"

"How did you manage?" Hermione asks where Ron trailed off, as if she had read his mind. Had she learned Legilimency?

He looks down at the rings on his finger, running a finger over the silver one. The silver one had much more sentimental importance to him personally than the Gaunt ring did. He snaps out of it, and looks at her directly in the eyes. He could almost see the wheels turning in that smart and cunning brain of hers, trying to think of anything she had ever gone through that had mentioned anything in the slightest.

"Well…you obviously see no Philosopher's stone." He said. "I am no alchemist, although I would like to try my hand at it…"He shakes his head. "But getting back to your question, I did it on my own. I _did _use the power of this Ring," He holds up his hand and shows the Gaunt ring, gold with black stone with a line down the middle. "But _only _as an amplification device, the power (the power to resurrect) is my own power; I just didn't want to use up all my energy, if I had, I wouldn't be able to get here."

"But…" Harry looks uncomfortable as everyone turns to look at him, clearly uneasy with the scrutiny, even after all of this time not used to, or at least not liking, the spotlight. Something, which Severus Snape should have learned by now. He also looked uncomfortable in his chair, squirming slightly.

He raises a brow at the pair of them, Snape and Harry. Had they already…?

"What is it, honey?" Lily asks her son. Harry looks at his mother, who gives him a smile of encouragement, as did his father, (He would have to make sure that Harry got some free time with his parents very soon) so he starts his sentence again.

"But, I mean…just how did you do it? I mean, the Ring itself is unable to bring people over completely, when I used it I…" He looks at Ron and Hermione who look at him, it being obvious that they had not heard all what he had done to kill Lord Voldemort. He also looks at his parents, Sirius and Remus, (who were sitting next to each other, with Tonks on Remus' right, Albus was sitting with his hands in his lap, listening with a serene expression on his face, not that he didn't expect anything less. And Mad-Eye was sitting closest to the door, obviously making himself the guard).

"It only brought them back as…well, not quite alive," finished Harry lamely. "How did you get the power? Did you—"

"—learn it from someone or something? Or was it self-taught? This power?" Severus finished Harry's sentence without any hesitation in his tone, speaking right after Harry finishes speaking and carries on without missing a beat. It causes a few people to blink, and Draven could see a small smile on Albus' face.

"Okay to answer…well, both of you," He smiles at them both. "It is a yes and no kind of thing…I knew that I had this power because…I had been told I did, that I had brought someone back, without exactly realizing it. I remembered when someone I was close to had lost someone close to them, someone I had felt close to, and I thought that I wished they were back…next thing I knew…they were. There was more to it though, that the messenger had also been brought back and I didn't know that for awhile…"

He trails off for a moment, taking a breath, trying to figure out all what he was going to say, he was deliberately trying to be as vague as possible; he couldn't let them guess the complete truth on the chance that it could alter things for the worse.

"Once the discovery was made, I was swept off, and I learned from a very great wizard, and also his protégé, they wanted me to be able to use all my powers to the very best of my abilities. So I was taught to control it, that power and the rest of my power, so it wouldn't go uncontrolled and do something it shouldn't. I was also sheltered for awhile, because if what I could do got out then bad things would happen, worse than what was already starting to happen, but eventually…I got to…do normal things, you know…"

"And how did you get here, may I ask, Mr. Cirle?" Remus suddenly asks, sounding polite and curious. "You do not have much of an accent; you sound rather American actually, if you don't mind my saying."

Draven shrugs and smiles at Remus. "I don't mind a bit, why should I? Yes, I do come from America, although I picked up a bit of an accent from being here, and being around so many English!" He winks. "And call me, Draven, Remus. If I can call you by _your _first name, then you must call me by mine! I don't like all the Mr. and such."

"And you got here _how_?" Ron asks, repeating the question Remus had asked, the question that Draven was trying to figure out how to answer (hence dragging it out as long as he could so he could think, he was normally a quick thinker, but in this situation…things were all over the place).

He lets out a breath. "Well, I like I said I was taught, and then I…" _Became closer to people…_ "came here. To London first actually, headed to Diagon Alley, all of that, then I went to—" _Grimmauld Place. _"—a friends house and then proceeded to…come here." That left out so many things, but things that they could not be privy to, not yet, if at all. But he could not say what they wanted, _knew _they wanted. He just couldn't. It was still painful after all.

"…I came across Hogsmeade, and I had this feeling to go to the Shrieking Shack, and I follow my feelings, I'm a bit of a psychic…anyway, I went there, and I found Severus lying there—" He could still see it in his mind's eye; Severus lying there, so pale, so cold, blood pooled all around him, eyes unseeing… "—And I reached for him, and I awakened that power, the power that had been controlled but not used since that one day…and I…awakened him. I brought him back, and I left, knowing that I had to do more…"

"That doesn't explain a lot," Sirius said, sitting his head across his crossed arms behind his head. "For instance how did you get the Ring? To my knowledge, you didn't have it, did you?"

Draven shakes his head. "…I found it as I was walking through the forest on the way here…then after I resurrected Severus I, as you know, went to the rest of you and did the same." They looked expectant, obviously wanting to hear more, but he had nothing more that he wanted to, or could, say. So he left it at that.

"Well, that doesn't explain hardly anything!" exclaimed Ron, standing from his chair. He shakes off Hermione's hand on his arm and takes a couple of steps forward, finger pointing at Draven, and the serpent on his ring hissing. "You expect me, _us_, to just hear that and be all fine and dandy?"

"Ron—" Hermione said.

"No, Hermione, I'm going to speak." He says glancing at her briefly before continuing to look at Draven, although he moves his finger down as he notices the serpent on the ring.

"You come waltzing in here, say you can bring back people like some kind of…of Necromancer or something, which are supposed to be nothing but bad news, and even then! The older tales of Necromancy were just about Inferi and stuff like that, not actually bringing back the dead, good and truly. So who are you really? Why should we trust you?"

He just sits there, staring at Ron, then looking at the others, Severus in particular this time, he showed no outward emotion on his face, but Draven could tell (with much experience at being able to read people) that he was also thinking, but that he didn't seem to exactly share Ron's opinion of trust.

"I never said you have to," he says baldly. "I'm just telling you the truth; what I can do, what I did and that people are trying to bring back the Dark Lord."

"That's another thing!" Ron continues. "Just how would you know that? Unless you were apart of it maybe? You said yourself that you would have the power to do it—"

"If I could then I already would have, if I was a total idiot, but I am not. I am not nor will I ever _be _a Death Eater. I've seen the carnage that they create, the people that they main, torture and kill, I would never be something like that."

He glances at Severus who, this time he could see clearly, looks on with a flash of pain in his eyes, making him feel wanting to say _I'm sorry. _The man blinks almost as if he heard it, (well the man was a Legilimens after all) and Draven sees Harry give Severus a pat on the arm, clearly uncomfortable with the scrutiny of others, so he comforted in the best way he could.

"And that!" Ron says, clearly needing to get the rest of it all out. "Why do you call him that? Only Death Eaters…" He glances at Snape. "…or former Death Eaters call him that."

Draven doesn't bat an eye at this, familiar with tougher people than Ron Weasley trying to interrogate him. "Because I know…I _knew_, a former Death Eater, and I just got used to saying it like he did." And no matter how much Ronald Bilius Weasley kept asking, yelling, he would not know more than that, of that particular subject.

It would be like reliving everything over again…

He sighs. He had to tell them _something_. He would just have to make sure that he left out the parts that they couldn't know, but give them enough information.

"You all wanted to know how I learned of what _I _know. About how the Death Eaters are trying to resurrect the Dark Lo—Lord Voldemort." He says, and sees everyone's attention much more than it had been a moment ago (perhaps they were trying to politely ignore that Ron was yelling like a madman in his face).

"Or rather…the Soul Stalkers, I _should _say, it's what their calling themselves now. At least until they get their goal of getting Lord Voldemort back, anyways. We…I knew them back home, I was with my teacher and his protégé like I said, (we had been hearing strange rumors as of late, most seemed to be rubbish, but one kept coming back to us so we decided to investigate it) we went undercover with some Polyjuice and found out that there were a small few Death Eaters still left that were still alive, or not captured."

He still remembered the look on his teacher's face…and of course the protégé didn't seem much better, it was _almost _like everything having been in vain, except that the resurrection hadn't happened (_still _hadn't happened) yet, and so there was hope. Even if not for them two…at least…

"We continued to gather information and started to do some more searching. Then, one day…" He still remembered it, the screams, the fire, the death, the overwhelming loss…

"…Our house had started to been torched, the house we all lived in, and there were Soul Stalkers everywhere, they had gathered in numbers—"

'**_Draven get out of here _**_now!' _

"—we were extremely outnumbered, Aurors were on their way, but it would take time, and the wizards that were the closest were locked in their own battles." He says, reliving it once more, unable to halt the memories. "The…the protégé died first,"

'**_No!_**_' '**No**!' _

He could still hear his screams mingled with the scream of the teachers…which quickly turned to screams of rage. And the Soul Stalkers really had someone to fear then…

"…the battle continued on for a few more minutes, but we were losing…and then…" He gulps, unable to hold back the tears which had been in his eyes for who knows how long. "Then…my teacher died…"

_'**Look out, Draven!**' _

The tears fall freely and he did nothing to stop them.

"He was protecting me; right up until the end he protected me. They both did. I _loved _them," he says fiercely. "And they had sacrificed themselves for me, and it was all my fault. The…the Soul Stalkers had found us, they had been looking for _me,_ they had heard about what I had done…had read about it when I resurrected…it was my fault! That's why…that's why I came here. I had to make up for what had happened, and I had promised—"

_He kneels down, a pool of blood starting to pool around the other man; he seemed to have trouble breathing. Draven pushes the hair from his face and looks at him, tears falling. _

_'………**I'm sorry, I'm so sorry**—' _

**_'You must listen to me,' the man said, grabbing his arm with a surprisingly strong grip. 'You must get out of here, do you understand me? No matter the outcome of me, you must stop them from bringing back the Dark Lord, do you understand? No matter the cost. You must…' He tries to take in a breath, blood trickling from his mouth, but he still tries to say his peace. 'I love you; you know that we both do. That is why you must _**_live.' **He had tried to say more but by then…it was already too late… **_

"—that I would come here, and do whatever I could possible do to keep the Dark Lord from returning. They had given their lives for me, and I would, _will, _keep that promise."

There didn't seem to be a dry eye in the room, Hermione, Tonks and Lily being the girls didn't seem to care about showing their tears, the rest of them seemed to try and hide their faces, being guys and all, but he could tell. Could _feel _what they were feeling.

He looks around at everyone, and then turns to Harry and Severus in particular. They were Bonded now…of course he knew, he could feel their magicks mingling, their essences, emotions, all of that, he was after all, an accomplished psychic, empath, resurrection extraordinaire!

He just hoped he could keep the façade of the cool, calm, and collected Draven Cirle in front of such an accomplished Legilimens as Severus Snape, no one else the best after all. And he hoped that things could be left at, as they were, or enough at least. He didn't need people poking at him with their metaphorical sticks anymore than they were already doing, and he _was _doing things for the right reasons after all; he was on the side of the Light and wanted to stop the Dark Lord from returning.

Problem was…there was more than just Soul Stalkers that were out there;

There were good _and _bad things in and of the world…he wasn't sure how they would be taken…

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A/N: I hoped I was able to say what I needed to say, without _actually _saying it. I tried real hard. Draven's past is something which I'm thinking about writing about as a kind of prequel later on, I already know what I would write…but I am going to focus on this first, one thing at a time is sometimes easier for me. And I have a weird time that I write the best; between 1 and 2 in the morning is the best time for me, when I have the most inspiration (usually).

I hope Draven is a likable enough character, and I am thinking of how I want to develop him in the story, who I want to see him with… this turned out to be a Draven-oriented chapter, but that kind of just happened, plus it needed to be done as they needed to know a little back story. I like Draven, and you see his initials, don't you? I had to do that I (_should) _shamefully admit.

Thank you _all _for all the reviews, and words of encouragement. If you want to talk to me, about the story or just about anything, you can email me at the address I put at the beginning, or the Live Journal or My Space page. Any of them, as I check them all at the same time. I would love to talk to people with my same interests.

**I have this wish…that I could meet people who live around close enough where I do, who are interested in Snarry, and would be willing to meet. I have always wanted to, talk about our favorite authors/stories, swap some Snarry stories, Snarry art/doujinshi, etc. That would be great. So if anyone lives in New Albany, Indiana- Jeffersonville, Indiana- Clarksville, Indiana- Louisville, Kentucky or any places close enough to those…email me and let me know. **

Read and Review and keep enjoying the supreme wonderfulness of Snarry! 

(No Portrait, No Ghost, No Body, No Funeral; Snape lives!)


	10. Learning some new things

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

A/N: I am sorry about being so vague with Draven, but more will be explained soon, and as to why he couldn't resurrect who he lost…well, that is part of the story, and I am glad actually that no one wondered about that overly much, I had tried to be as vague as I could…like now! lol

A/N2: If you are wondering about my writing system; well I try to write at least 1,000 words a day, usually I have the time to. Sometimes it is a little less if I am tired, or a little more, if I have more inspiration than usual, I find 1-2 a.m. as the time I usually find the most inspiration, weirdly enough. This chapter took a little longer for me because of the RABID PLOT BUNNY! that has been in my head for a little while and doesn't want to leave. So you may see a Jack/Sawyer/Kate from me out there soon, or a Jack/Sawyer/Sayid…mmm.

CHAPTER TEN-

Learning a few new things

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He had wanted to leave just as much as he wanted to be there for him. He quite dreaded the upcoming conversation with Harry's friends, parents, and dogfather. He couldn't believe all that the young man, Draven, had done. Not only in succeeding in bringing back _one _person from the dead, which was a feat in and of itself, but to bring back _nine _people in total…it was just amazing.

But he didn't want to face all of these people in front of him (those not apart of this, Albus, Mad-Eye, Nymphadora, Lupin, Fred Weasley, and Draven had left to give some privacy, although Black had made a remark about wanting Lupin to stay).

He felt like a bit of a coward, not saying what needed to be said first, but he just couldn't get the words out. He would do his damnedest to answer any of the questions that were sure to come (as sure as the hexes that were to also follow).

He glances at Harry, who tries to give him a reassuring look; although it wasn't working very well, but at least he was trying. Lily out of everyone brought back (minus Albus, and strangely—Draven, maybe he was glad to see his idol? He did seem to emulate him…) was the happiest to see him, and he knew then that she hadn't forsaken him, or his friendship.

"Harry?" asked Potter (_James_), gently. "You had something you wanted to talk to us about?"

"Something important?" Lily asked, just as gently.

Harry nods, looking a bit nervous. "Um…yeah," he starts, eyes wide behind his round glasses, looking a bit younger than he was—which was something that wouldn't help Severus' case much.

"Wait," started Black. Oh, great. This would _certainly _turn out good… "Don't start saying anything before _he _leaves," jerking a thumb in his direction. "He'll just take whatever you say, and turn it into something ugly, like him."

Bloody bastard! He starts to say something, a retort, or a hex, _something_, but he gets interrupted; "Sirius," Harry's voice sounded clear, but reproachful. "He's here because he's apart of what I need to tell you all…a very important part. _The _most important part of all. So much has happened in this last week, since you all died…I…" He looks at him, and Severus nods; it was now or never.

He reaches out and grabs Harry's hand, ignoring the exclamation from around him, and Harry returns with a grip that holds on just as tight.

"We…" Harry starts.

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A few of the people in the paintings around him were staring blatantly at him, (while others _pretended _that they weren't looking; worried about seeming rude)—although the friars playing wizarding chess in the painting across from him didn't seem to care about rudeness or not; one of them had even put on a pair of glasses to try and see him better, making him wonder if they—as portraits—could remember things that others could not.

It made him feel vaguely uncomfortable, but, he reckoned, it didn't seem likely that they _knew _anything at all. And if he was wrong…then he would just have to find a likely explanation. He wanted to avoid telling the absolute truth, if at all possible. More due to the fact that he didn't think that he could tell it all, it would be like reliving it all, than the fact that he wanted to hide something.

He had good intentions, even if…

He sighs, resting against one of the walls, just a bit down from the door where he knew that Severus and Harry were talking to the others about their Bond, that very moment. Of _course _he knew! He had been the one after all—the person who had hurried their Bond along. It was something that he already knew was there, and it would have manifested itself completely, on its own, with a little time, but they didn't _have _that time.

He looks around with the eye of someone who knew exactly what they were looking at, had time and again, but never tired of it. Hogwarts was a place where you always learned something new, loved under its halls, lost under its halls, and found joy and laughter there.

He moves from his place in the wall, and walks down the hallway, further away from the gathering that would probably blow up into something big, if Sirius being there was any indication. And he wanted to see if…other places would still admit him.

People on either side of him; move from frame to frame, following him. He didn't know if it was to see where he would go, or to keep an eye out for him, but either way he was going to keep going.

A suit of armor clanks on his right as he walks and raises a hand up. _In welcome_.

"Hello to you too." He says cheerfully. "I don't know how much you all know—but d'you think that you keep to yourself for now?" The armor nods its empty helmet up and down, the visor creaking each time the helmet bobs up and down. The people in the painting murmur an agreement.

He stalks off, trying to make his robes billow in just the way that Severus always seemed to do so effortlessly and barely made his robes flap.

Just how did the man _do _it? And with such little effort?

It wasn't fair.

He just started to turn the corner, and nearly slams into the stone wall when he hears an exclamation:

"WHAT?!"

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Tonks looks up at the sound, as does Remus. They both knew who it was by the voice. And he didn't sound particularly happy. Just what had Harry told all of them?

It suddenly made him think about Sirius other than just wondering why he was yelling like a banshee that had been hit with Engorgio. Sirius was back! _His _Sirius! Maybe this time he finally could…

He looks over at Tonks and gestures for her to sit down, (they had been standing in one of the corridors away from the conversation taking place; waiting.) and takes in a breath before letting it out slowly.

"'Dora, I think we need to talk…"

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He sat alone in one of the empty classrooms, waiting for Harry to finish telling his family whatever needed to be said. It was amazing! He was alive! And Harry had his parents and his godfather back. James and Lily Potter seemed really nice and down-to-earth people, even those who had been dead nearly 19 years.

He was waiting for them to finish—there was just no way that he could go alone, not yet, everything was still too fresh. But he couldn't wait to see his family again. _All _of them, but mostly especially George, his twin, his lover, the person he shared everything with since before they were born.

No one knew that anything was going on, not that he knew of anyway. Their mum always put their always being together (and not going on dates with girls and such) due to the face that they were such, er _free spirits_. He _had _gone out with Angelina during the Yule Ball, but that felt like mostly an obligation—and a way for him to try and forget about the forbidden thoughts that he had of his own brother, his _twin _brother.

People would probably never understand it, how could they? It was one thing to be with another man (although that wasn't frowned upon in the wizarding world, except for a few odd people here and there), but it was another to be with your own flesh and blood, especially if that person was your _brother_.

He wished that things could be a little more open and understanding in those cases. He longed to be able to take George somewhere, a _real _date, without having to disguise it as something else, or have people give them disgusted looks.

He couldn't help that he had fallen for George, _really _he couldn't. It just seemed like that he always had—and knew that he always would—and he didn't want to change it. He knew that George had had a hard time keeping away from him equally; he had told him so.

And now there was the prospect of seeing him again; to wrap his arms around him and not let go. It wouldn't seem too strange if he embraced him as he seen him—after all, he had just come back from the most impossible situation then anyone could imagine.

And he had Draven to thank for it; it was Draven who relayed to him that George was fine, that he was still alive—although he was in mourning.

And he planned to do something about it.

"WHAT?!"

Oh, boy. _That _sounded pleasant…wonder what Harry said?

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It was a strange business; coming back from the dead, he mused. He hadn't expected to live as long as he _had_. The years of toll and hardship; the time spent struggling, taking curses, giving back curses, nearly getting killed, killing people, _torture, _something he both did, and received.

Too much things to fill a life. He had never expected to see _forty_, much less than all of these years. His life had been both a blessing, _and _a curse. He had loved…and he had lost.

That was a huge factor in his being an Auror. He wanted to kill every single one of them that had taken his Celena away from him; and to make every Dark wizard know the pain that he felt.

After a time, it became more than just a hunger for vengeance. He wanted to try and make the world better; so people wouldn't lose anyone, like he did.

And now with the information he had been given from Albus and from Draven…

He would make sure that things would be put back right again; even if he died, and never came back. He wouldn't let these souls not find each other again…

"WHAT?!"

He snorts. Sirius never did know how to do things by halves.

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"WHAT?!"

"Ah," he said, relaxing in one of the chairs and staring at the empty fireplace, which quickly becomes a roaring flame. "Sirius has heard the good news then."

He settles himself a little more comfortably, and summons a pot of tea, which quickly pours some of its tea into a glass and floats into his waiting hands. He lets out a breath, and felt quite happy with the world…at least for the moment.

People accused him of being manipulative; Severus in particular, when he was in a particularly angry mood. He couldn't exactly deny the claims either; he felt no need to.

He felt that he had done the best that he possibly could in the position he was in. Sacrifices had to be made, and he made himself one gladly. If he could change the way the world was, to take away Lord Voldemort…no, if he could help rid the world of _Tom Riddle_, then everything would have been worth it.

And so it was; Lord Voldemort was no more…at least for now. With these additions of Soul Stalkers and other things besides…it made things difficult. Not only for himself, but for Harry, Severus, and Draven respectively (not counting the countless others).

He was the only one privy to Draven's situation, for a few reasons, and would not give away anything that the young man did not want known, at least for this moment. He had been through so much at his young age that he should not have.

But those with more special abilities than others were always targeted by those who envied them. It was not a matter of pride that it was thought so, it _was _so. There were those rare cases where the special people who were envied made the people who envied, _fear _them, so as not to have to worry about overt retaliation; Voldemort was one of those cases.

He looks down at his auburn beard as he sets his cup down, and holds it in his hand for a moment before letting go. This was another thing that had made quite a difference, he was young again! Not only in the superficial sense—but the physical sense as well. The only thing of his that was the same was his mind, and his eyes. Both still held an intelligence of many years.

And now this intelligence had to figure out how to help the world at large—but almost more importantly; he had to help a young man who was suffering.

…And to teach Sirius how to put a sock in it.

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A/N: Wow. Onto chapter 11! And with chapter 11 coming around, there will be more of the action-adventure-y stuff as well! If you have any questions/etc, put it in your review and/or email me at my sbyamibakura account at yahoo, or go to myspace to my Mirrored Veil account, OR go to my livejournal account, PhoenixJustice.

Damn OT3…Damn Jack/Sawyer/Kate…Damn Jack/Sawyer/Sayid mutters too smexy… Don't worry about me updating though, I'll still update like I have been, although I wonder if I have been spoiling you all with such quick updates…as it usually takes 3 days at most to finish a chapter, and that is usually only 3-4 hours of time to write altogether, as I am busy during the day. Stupid rabid plot bunnies… (Looks around fearfully)

Oh, well. And more smexy-smex will come soon, don't worry! Although I don't think it'll just be Snarry that gets all the fun…p I got plans baby!


	11. Heading towards an important destiny

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

Super crush of the day: Sawyer, Sayid, and Jack from LOST. Guh. Xx

Book I'm reading at the moment: To Light a Candle, book 2 of the Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory.

Fic/Fics I'm reading at the moment: Another Surprise by elise509 (livejournal), many Jack/Sawyer's by elise509, some Jack/Sawyer/Kate and Jack/Sawyer/Sayid by elise509 also, and some Jack/Sawyer and Jack/Sawyer/Kate, Jack/Sawyer/Sayid by other people.

Fanfic of the day: Another Surprise by elise509 (at least for now)

Fanfic Author of the Day: elise509 for her awesome LOST ficcies, and the great Wincest fic she did also.

Author of the Day: Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, for their Obsidian Trilogy. I am very picky about what I read, but this series is one that anyone would love, even for those who don't read a lot of fantasy.

A/N: Something came to me last minute, but I like the idea. You'll see. Hmm… I wonder how people are taking the Draven stuff. I swear that when I first started this that it wasn't like this (not that I had a lot of it planned; other than the idea of a post-DH fic that included SS, some Snarry, and such). But I personally like what I am doing, I don't know if others will—but I feel that it is the right thing to take it in this direction; because on the whole I have realized that it is about more than two people; it is about so many others.

Others whom I did not realize I would add to this story, but I absolutely _love _where this is going, and I hope that you all will love it too. Don't fear that there will not be anymore Snarry, because I _assure _you there will, as well as other pairings, pairings (once I knew what I was going to do with the resurrection, _who _all I would be resurrecting--) that also are exciting as well for me.

Oh, and to the little bit before the chapter? Well, maybe it's something to come in the fic…or is just a flashback…after all…nothing is as it seems; not really.

CHAPTER ELEVEN-

Heading towards an important destiny, one you didn't even realize that you were apart of

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Well, he reckoned, it could have gone a lot worse. It could have gone a lot _better_, but it could have gotten worse. His parents… (His parents!) had taken it pretty well surprisingly.

His mother had a small smile on her face, and said that she was happy for both of them, that she had wanted nothing more than to see her best friend happy; and for her son to find someone for his own someday.

His father was a little quiet at first, even after Sirius' outburst, but seems to think of something in his mind, and eventually smiles at them, _both _of them. And he said; 'I couldn't stop you two from being together if I tried; when someone gets Bonded, it's for life.'

Sirius had been the one who was the most shocked; the unhappy; the angriest. He roared something about Snivellus Snape not being good enough for his godson, how could he possibly think that he could _do _something like this? And Harry, (Harry wasn't exempt from his rant) how could Harry possibly Bond himself to a slimy grease ball like Severus Snape?

Severus had kept his tongue surprisingly well; it was _Harry _who had yelled at his godfather.

'Sirius, listen to me, and listen well!' he had said. 'It is way past time for you to get over your grudge, _both _of you," he adds, looking at his silent Bond-mate. "You can't change the past, but you can at least do something about the future. Not just because of me, or of this," raising his joined hand that was intertwined with one of Severus'. "But because it's the right thing to do, and you all need to be on the same page when it comes to what's ahead of us all; Draven told us about these Soul Stalkers, and who knows what else is out there. We all need to stand united."

His parents, as well as Severus, looked proud of him. Sirius looked like he wanted to make a retort, but holds it in; letting in and taking out a few deep breaths for a moment, before turning his dark gaze upon the man holding onto his godson's hand so tightly.

"I swear to Merlin and back, Snape…_Severus_," he says forcefully. "I'll be civil with you as long as you're civil to me, for Harry's sake more than anything else; I love that boy as if he was my very own,"

Harry blinks in surprise, looking pleased and not sure what to make of it, being so used at a young age to not having very much. "But if you hurt one hair on that untidy head of his, I'll make you wish that Voldemort was back, because I'll do more than he _ever _did, got it?"

Severus nods, head resting elegantly against the armchair, the fireplace near them burning down; the Potter's silent as they listened to the exchange.

"Yes. Yes, I got it…_Sirius,_" it sounded more unsure than unhappy to say it. Unsure of things to come. "And believe me when I say that I would happily kill my own self before hurting any part of Harry."

Something in Severus' gaze must have actually shown through to him, because he looks him directly in the eyes, and nods.

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Harry opens the door, and looks around; the hallway was empty, and eerily silent. He leaves the door ajar, as the others start to follow him out the door. He wondered where everyone had gotten to.

He wanders off ahead of the others, half of him wanting to stay almost pasted to his family's side; the other half needed some air because of the complete disbelief of the first half.

He sends a silent message to Severus to make everyone (including him) give him some space. He feels a just as silent answer in return, and hears Severus talking quietly to his family behind him; Sirius makes a small exclamation but seems to settle down as he keeps walking on.

He walks down the hallway, politely ignoring the stares of the armor and portraits around him, and starts to turn around a corner; and nearly runs into someone. He stumbles back a couple of steps, and grabs onto part of the flailing person's robes and pulls them forward.

He gives out a little gasp as the person hits him a little hard, knocking the breath out of him for a moment. He looks up and sees Draven staring at him, _staring _at him. He could feel a blush work itself way up and he tries to tamp it down. Draven quickly takes a step back.

"Thanks," Draven said. His eyes had portrayed something just a moment ago, but now they were cold, expressionless; as if it had been Severus Snape looking at him, not Draven Cirle.

Severus Snape he at least knew had the experience; he wasn't sure about Draven Cirle.

"I'm glad I ran into you—though maybe not so glad it was a literal experience—I need to talk to you, anyways. Where are Severus and the others at?"

Harry turns his head briefly to glance around the corner, and then turns back to Draven. "I told them I needed some space, some air…as if the better part of last week hadn't done enough by itself!" Draven laughs softly. "And then you…you…"

He looks at the man in front of him and bites his lower lip slightly; unaware that he was doing so. "How could I possibly repay something like that? All the money in Gringotts wouldn't even cover a half of a half of a half of a _half _of what you've done."

Draven's face flickers for a moment, and Harry sees something within those dark depths, but in the next instance it's gone. "I don't want your money. I have some of my own. That was never apart of _any _of this. I did it because…because it was the right thing to do, it was something that _had _to be done. For many people's sakes, including yours." He said.

"I will admit that I also did it for selfish reasons; I need their help as much as I need yours, yours and Severus', later on…" He falls silent and Harry waits for him to elaborate on that subject, but he remains silent. He glances at Harry. "But, the thing right now is, I need you, Severus, and the others to come with me. Then I'll talk to you all afterwards."

Harry felt confused, and supposed it showed on his face because Draven elaborates;

"The Great Hall. Everyone needs to know that their all alive."

Harry looks shocked for a moment, then nods. "…I suppose so, but…what about after? After they all get reintroduced into the masses?"

Draven stares into his eyes for a moment, his eyes quite as penetrating as Severus' own, then a smile/smirk starts to appear on his face.

"After? Why after, we're going to go and see some friends." Draven says. "And hope that they'll agree…"

Harry thought that he also heard the words; "If we _can _see them." Said softly by Draven, but he didn't think that Draven actually _said _those things. He must have been hearing things. With the events of the past week and more, it wasn't unlikely.

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The sounds from the Great Hall could be heard as they walked towards it; Harry, Severus, and Draven all in the lead; Harry talking to Draven while Severus was thinking whatever he was thinking. The man seemed to be thinking about something deeply; and he kept sneaking glances at Draven, as if trying to figure something out about him.

Draven suddenly stops as they come to stand before the door, he moves out of the way as the door seems to open on its own. He smiles.

"You all go ahead," he says. "This is, after all, _your _moment."

With a glance that everyone seemed to give him, they all start to walk inside, a couple of them lingering a moment or two more before walking inside. As soon as they all get inside, (followed by an extremely loud exclamation), the door closes, and he lets out a pent-up breath that seemed to be held in for almost the whole way there.

He smiles bitterly at nothing in particular, nothing that people would be able to notice, at least.

"_My _moment, it seems, has come and gone." He says sardonically. "It'll be a surprise if I can actually get it right and not bollocks everything up."

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The uproar continues as the group walks to a stunned Staff table; Hagrid was sobbing, and Professor McGonagall looked like she had been hit with multiple Stunning spells. Dumbledore takes his seat amidst a half noisy, half stunned crowd. He takes his (former?) usual place and stands, hands seemingly embracing the room.

"Ah! Before the food begins—and I know that you would rather have your food than to hear an old—or maybe not so old—man's ramblings…I wanted to explain what you are seeing—"

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He waits outside, mostly patient, of the Great Hall. He leans against the wall next to the doors and closes his eyes, arms crossed. He _had _to wait. There was nothing he could do until he got who he needed to see, who needed to come with him.

There were still places in the world that even the most wise and powerful witches and wizards did not know about. _Of _the world. There was a difference after all, one which he was well aware of.

His teacher, one of his loves, had taught him quite well. He just hoped that he could even _get _where they needed to; things were a lot different now, after all. Here in his thought at least he could be less of the harder persona that he was now portraying, and he could feel worry and hope that he was doing the right thing.

He sincerely hoped that the alliance that he, and others, had made with certain peoples had stayed true, but he had his doubts; with everything changing in such way, it made things harder to figure out in the long term; could the same people still be trusted?

Then there was the smallest thought that he tried to keep at bay but never completely succeeded; could he ever get his life, and his lovers, back to the way that it had been? As if he had never had to come here, resurrect Severus, resurrect everyone else, keep on battling a force which never wanted to stay down for very long.

He just wanted his old life back, the times he had, the love that he had shared…

He shakes himself from his enveloping thoughts and opens his eyes, turning his head as he hears the doors creak open. A murmur was still going in the crowd of people inside, but it was not the fever pitch that it had been only moments ago.

He puts the mask back on his face and waits to greet whoever was coming out. He didn't think that all of them would come out; surely Albus would stay and try to restore some order back into the school, and into Hogsmeade. The whole of the Wizarding World and Beyond would take a little longer.

He turns and waits.

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The group turned out to be a few people; Harry, Severus, James and Lily. He does a quick scan and realizes why Sirius, Remus and Tonks were staying. (Though he would keep those reasons to himself.) And he also realized that Fred was currently talking to George, and he seemed to be trying to talk (his stunned and happy) brother/lover into coming with, and Albus was trying to restore some order.

He sees Severus glance at the Potter's, apparently making sure of something.

"I suppose this is everyone then," putting a tone of indifference into his tone.

"Yes," said Severus, almost, but not quite, glaring at him. Draven elegantly shrugs his shoulders and says nothing for a moment, two moments.

"What--?" started James.

Draven shakes his head, tilting it slightly for a moment, face contorted in concentration. After a small moment he starts to walk.

"It's time I led you to some more allies, isn't it?" he says to no one in particular.

That moment the doors open wide again and a pattering of footsteps could be heard as they turn towards the noise. A shock of red hair and freckles told them that he, they, were looking at the Weasley twins.

Apparently Fred had gotten to George. Well. That made things a little more interesting at least. He looks at the twins with a slightly warmer reception than he had given to the others, seeing Harry's bewildered face when he treated him with indifference and smiles minutely.

"I suppose you two thought you'd tag along then?" He said, allowing more of his usual tone to come into play, a touch warmer than it had been mere moments before.

He, after all, knew what it was like to love what was forbidden. He forces his thoughts away from the _forbidden _ones and waits for their reactions.

"The more the merrier, it's said, and so why not?" asked George, clearly looking a thousand times better than he did before, having his twin lover back seemed to be the ultimate cure-all.

"…I _suppose _it would be alright," He said, sounding a little reluctant. He knew from experience how much to say and how little to say. It had helped on more than one occasion. "But, if you really want to, then I cannot stop you—you have your freedom after all. This is a free time, at least at the moment, with no megalomaniac's or deranged and evil people in sight. You'll go where you're meant to go."

He needed to speak differently, oh if only his friends Elsewhere could seem him now! It was not like it was in the middle of a war or anything, to be speaking so openly and boldly—he had learned many things from them, just as his teacher and the protégé did. It was an experience that he would never forget, even if all the people in and of the world did, which was a silly thought…but he would never forget.

He _couldn't _forget anything that had transpired…no matter how much he wished for it sometimes.

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Harry wondered just how much further they were going to go, they were already past the Apparition wards, so where were they going if they weren't going to Apparate? If they kept walking forward they'd be going directly into the Forbidden Forest—he had enough experiences in there to last him _two _lifetimes.

Everyone knew that the place was nothing but bad business—acromantulas, centaurs who didn't want to speak in anything resembling the English language (unless you said and talked about Mars a lot), dark things. Yeah, there were _supposed _to be Unicorns and such, but Harry had never seen one in the Forest—other than the one that had been killed (which still made his stomach turn; that was no way to see such a beautiful creature.)

Harry's mum was standing pretty close to his dad; his dad's arm around her shoulders. Fred and George were also standing close, it was hard to tell but…were they holding hands? He didn't know what to make of that. He glances at his Bond-mate.

Severus had been rather quiet considering all that had happened, but he seemed to be fine. Harry could feel calm emanate from the man and that made him feel calm in return. It was a little strange at first; being able to feel the emotions from the other, to talk to each other mentally in a way that no Legilimens/Occulumens could do, to catch glimpses of memories from the other's life.

He had at first been a little hesitant about Severus being able to see his childhood—he had felt ashamed and he didn't want his Bond-Mate to see him like that. But, he felt the reassurance from the older man and knew that everything was fine.

He felt a little nervous going into the pretty much unknown with Draven. He _did _trust Draven; in fact he was surprised about how easy it was and how _much _he trusted him, in such a short time. But he wondered just where they were going to, where they could go that would help against these Soul Stalkers (apparently worse than the Death Eaters) and keep Voldemort from being resurrected.

Draven had said something as they walked—about having more allies than you realized. That was how he said it; "There are more allies than you realize. Although we are _in _the world, there are still things _of _the world that have meaning—things that have not been seen by very many people."

He was a mysterious person. At first when Harry had met him, he had been an open, cheerful person, but as Harry got closer to him, he seemed to drift farther and farther away, almost like a self-defense mechanism or something. He didn't think he did anything to warrant the colder attitude.

Not to say that Draven was being _cold_, per se, but there was a definable difference, to Harry at least. Why were they all being led into something which they did not know about? And so trustingly…this wasn't a trap was it, a plot of the Soul Stalkers to lure Harry and them all into a trap.

_No. _

He felt that with certainty. That was not it. He felt that it wasn't, _knew _that it wasn't. Draven was leading them into _something _that was for sure, but it wasn't something bad. He was trying to help them. No, the question really was…

What on Earth could possibly help them in the _Forbidden Forest_?

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A/N: Ah! Finally to what I've been wanting to get to! (Or at least since not that long ago when the idea came to me.) I figured out what I'm going to do with the story. I suppose there hasn't been a lot of Snarry-ness since 6 and 7, I guess, but I assure you there will be more smexy-ness in the future and not just from Snarry either!

I started this story as a need that I had to fix, the moment after I read DH I _had _to write something, there was no way I could not. I started out, once I finished the first chapter and _then _knew what I was going to do with the story—mostly, anyway, with the idea that Severus would be revived. It was only as I wrote (and keep writing) the story that I knew how he would be brought back, etc. Most of my ideas came off-hand. They still do; I find I write well that way. I have a few ideas for the story, what's going to come up ahead and such, but a lot of it was written just by…writing it, if that makes sense.

Draven manifested as an actual person for the story a little before I wrote Harry's introduction—through Vision—to him. The name I hadn't really decided on, as I was unsure of what route I would take Draven. There were other routes I could have taken—and I am now glad that I did not, for it would not have turned out the same.

And as to the resurrections, I _had _planned on a few people, besides Severus, to be resurrected. The James and Lily was a surprise to me, but once I started writing it, it felt right. I hadn't originally planned on anyone other than Severus, possibly Albus, and _maybe _Sirius, but no others. But once I sat down and thought about some of the stuff I was going to do for the story, I knew that I was going to be bringing back (besides Severus):

James and Lily,

Sirius,

Albus,

Mad-Eye,

Remus,

Tonks,

and Fred.

Why them? Why _just _them? The question has been asked to me in reviews, but I cannot say—at least not yet, it is part of the story. There is a reason to all of that and more—but that is part of the story, as I said, an important part.

This story is growing into something bigger—something that I did not expect, but I am happy with the results.

I hope that you all will continue to read this, continue to review this, and like what you are reading. Oh, and Jack/Sawyer/Sayid is so hot it should be a crime. XD Kind of like Snarry, huh? p


	12. The Forbidden Forest

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

A/N: To the heart of it!—so to speak. I bet you are wondering; why would they go to the Forbidden Forest of all things? I realized that the Forbidden Forest didn't really have much of a story to it; fiction or fanfiction, and that I wanted to give it one—other than it being forbidden because of 'dangerous creatures'.

You'll see. :)

Oh! As these next few chapter come along I can finally get to back story! Woo-hoo! And even I didn't expect for it to go the way it's turning out. Not that it is a bad thing. xD

CHAPTER TWELVE-

The Forbidden Forest

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The boy was taking them directly into the Forbidden Forest! Merlin knew why, but it seemed to be important to him. It was a hard thing for him, at first, to accept going somewhere blindly; Draven had said naught about where they were going, or why.

So why were they all following like they were? He felt Harry's calm and acceptance of the situation and that made him feel better; it seemed hard to believe that it had been such a short time since they had been Bonded; it felt like it had been for so long now. But he was content—for the first time in who knows how long.

He _loved _Harry; the Bond felt like a gift to him (one that he didn't deserve) not a curse. And he knew that Harry felt the same way, which was another gift onto itself to him.

He eyes the surroundings with ill-disguised disgust. This was not the first time he had ventured into the Forest. He had, after all, been the one to have to harvest the dead Unicorn after Quirrell had killed it. The sight of it still turned his stomach; something so beautiful and pure should _never _look like that, no matter the cause.

Although he had been in the Forest a fair few times, he had never gotten very far—partly because of what lie ahead (and he dared not go any further) and also because whatever he had ever needed out of the Forest, had come from the front and a little further inside. He looks around as they continue.

It was silent, although he could feel and hear Harry from their Bond; Draven led the front with a grim but determined look on his face. The Weasley twins were not saying much of anything. Lily and…_James (_he would have to call the man that now and anyway, Harry was right.)

It was time for old grudges to be put aside in the very least, if they could not be forgotten.) were quiet and they walked behind everyone else. He didn't hear them talking, but his mind was picking up faint talking from _somewhere_, so obviously _something _was talking, if they weren't.

So either the Potter's had a Bond as well (which wouldn't be _completely _impossible, but such Bonds were very, very, rare. Hardly any had been documented in the last thousand years since Hogwarts had been built.) or there was something else where they were, following them, or doing whatever else.

There were, after all, Centaurs (which would give you the answers that you did _not _want, Mars being bright did not tell you exactly what was going to happen, after all), Unicorns (which were _very_ rare.)Hagrid, he knew, had only seen maybe five if that in his lifetime. Unicorns were _very _long lived, no one knew for sure _how _long, maybe they were even immortal, unless something killed them by means like Quirrell had, however he had.

There were other darker things that people didn't have a name for, only having seen very few glimpses, things in the heart of the Forest where people, and other things, did not dare dwell.

And that seemed to be exactly where they were heading. Oh that was just _wonderful_.

And yet he kept going on—felt the compulsion, like something, something bigger than him, bigger than _any _of them, was leading him on. Nothing bad—he was well acquainted with that feeling after all. But it was something that was leading him, all of them. It felt of a kind of magic, but it was different than any he could ever remember feeling.

Strange, new, but not bad, he glances at Harry for a moment who looks up in that moment and looks at him as well. They search each others eyes, and inner selves, seeming to find what they needed to.

Severus knew that there was still something _missing_ as they were walking. He felt that deep within himself. He knew _something _was. He just wasn't quite sure _what _it was.

They continue.

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It was a dark road that they were on, he thought with a touch of black humor. Not just metaphorically, but literally as well. Although the way was not as he remembered it; the way _out _of the Forest not so long ago was what he remembered best; and it was the most hurtful thing as well, bringing back a well of memories that he tried to suppress, to no avail.

Then he felt the _call_ and he knew what he had to do then; he would take them and see by the grace of the Light that it would be alright, that they would at least _help_, even if by some chance that they did not remember him…

He had felt quite a bit of relief on top of the anxiety when he felt the _call_. He had been afraid that after he had left—after he had left there, then the Forest, that he would never hear the _call _again. But he had—he should know better than to think that he would be deserted like that.

Once you felt the _call_, felt the pull…you would always have something. Something that would give you tools that would never leave you, save from death.

He lets out a breath and continues to lead them, feeling more than hearing them cast _Lumos _with their wands. He himself, with a flick of his hand, creates a small sphere of blue light which lit up the dark Forest better than their wands could. He felt only slightly drained from that, and was glad that it only cost a bit of his energy to cast—at the moment at least.

"Just how did you _do _that?" He heard Fred ask somewhere behind him. He stops and turns a little, seeing the others stop as well. They all looked surprised—not that he didn't expect that, he knew that they had not seen that kind of magic before, unless you counted him doing those resurrections, but that was his own kind of magic that was just his, not the kind he had just used.

"I did what I was able to do, that is all," He wondered if the formal speech would make them angry, or confused. Oh, well. Better now than later to start...even if they didn't like his answer. "I found myself wondering if I should make some light and then I see some from behind me, and I decide that the best course of action is to make some of my own."

Harry blinks at the same time James does, though neither of them notice. They blinked in _just that way _that Draven had known Harry did. Lily looked surprised, but didn't ask anything further, she seemed to be thinking about something. Fred and George both looked baffled at it all. Severus seemed to be _dying _to ask a question that had to be on the tip of his sharp witted tongue.

With good time my good man….with time. I hope so at least, for my sake as much as all of your all's sakes.

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They were coming closer to something, he didn't know what, but it felt _quite _important. He seemed to sense a sort of _presence_, one which he was not familiar with. And he wondered if the presence was caused by Draven or by something else.

To protect them?

After all, they had not encountered anything, dangerous or no, and that made Harry wonder. It was _very _unlikely that they would be able to come this deep into the Forest, a Forest which he knew had things in it that he had no clue of, that _most _people had no clue of, and not be attacked by anything, or see something in the very least.

He had the sudden feeling that it was Draven—and the same time it was not. It was as if something was working _through _him. Weird. In a strange way, Harry felt happy. He had something to do, he had the person he loved and was meant to be with, he had his parents back!, and although the Soul Stalkers loomed in the distance (metaphorically, at least he hoped it was just that) he was happy.

Okay so maybe it wasn't _all _strange, at least to him, but most people would have had something to say about who he chose, (who chose _him) _what had happened, but he didn't care. It was his life and he wasn't about to let anyone else live it for him.

Voldemort was gone, and although the Soul Stalkers were trying to resurrect him, he was still gone at this point. Harry would _definitely _know if Tom Riddle suddenly sprung back up, and luckily Draven Cirle was for the Light.

He wondered just what was so important this far into the Forest, how Draven knew where to go this far in (and what he was looking for), and why they were all needed. It seemed important and almost _familiar _in a way, then again the Forest looked about the same the whole way they were walking, and it wasn't like he had never been in _any _part of the Forest before this.

There was something on the tip of his tongue that wanted to get out but he wasn't sure what exactly it was. It kept nagging at the back of his mind, a feeling like he had forgotten to do something important—like he had forgotten to tell people where they were going (but they did that), or that he had left his wand or something as important behind (but he hadn't; everything was in place.)

So why did he feel like that he was missing something _very_ important?

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He breathes a silent sigh of relief as they get closer. It wouldn't be but another couple of minutes until they got there and from there…they would see. Or at least he would try…and they would see. He felt the anxiety trying to creep back in and tamps it down as well as he could.

He couldn't let anything like that get to him; he had to be optimistic and he had to have hope…even if it seemed like that there would be none to sustain him. He would keep going and he would hope that everything would be fine. Although he had been cast out _of _the world, he was _in _the world and he had a little more at his disposal, more people and more magic at his disposal.

That was part of the reason that he let as many of them come as he did; he wanted to ask for their power if his was not enough when he…tried to open it, to get back. It was a long and arduous process that he had been debating over since he had been cast out and away _in_to the world.

He had left his home, had been _cast _out of what he had known, had had to think of every choice, to resurrect, and all the while he was alone. He ached to have one of his beloved's bodies around him, the other would spoon the other, or they would reach for him.

There had never been an issue of sharing; there had always been a balance. Once Draven had made the decision to try and become closer to his teacher and to the protégé, to become their lover, he had known that there would be sharing, that there would be times that he might feel a little neglected as one was with the other.

He had thought that would be the case, but it turned out better than he had ever hoped. He had never felt neglected and they all had just what they needed from one another. Or at least he could not remember feeling neglected or upset about any of that, the thought of his lovers made him forget about lots of other things, like how he had been angry, or sad, all he could remember was the happy.

He _could _trudge up the bad, but why should he? At least right now.

Another thing he missed was his friends, they were more than his friends, more than the best of friends, they were his _family_. They had been there for him, and although that he knew that he couldn't have done anymore—he felt guilty. Guilty for leaving them during a battle like that, even if he had no say in the matter.

He glances up out of his thoughts and looks a bit startled at the sudden darkened opening a few feet in front of him. He didn't even notice it, but he had his suspicions (ever since the very first resurrection that he did) that although it was in the middle of the Forest, the exact location would change every so often, or so much.

It was an entrance with curved branches moved around to make a doorway which held no door, just darkness that seemed to stretch indefinitely.

The Mirrored Veil.

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	13. Secrets Revealed, the Mirrored Veil

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: see chapter one.

A/N: Yay, I've been waiting to get to this point! I am so happy! And now you all can know why the story has 'Mirrored Veil' in its name! dances Plus, I can actually get to some of Draven's back story. I had to be vague like I have been, because if I hadn't then you all would have guessed who some of these people were. But, this chapter you will find out some things you've wanted to know. Over and crosses people! xD

CHAPTER THIRTEEN-

Secrets Revealed—The Mirrored Veil

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The Mirrored Veil.

A relic nearly forgotten by the world, Wizarding and Muggle alike. For those who _did _know of it, they merely knew it as a myth, a legend, one more legend than the Chamber of Secrets had been, or the Deathly Hallows.

For this Veil was much different than the one that was in the Department of Mysteries. This Veil was a gateway, for those who could somehow manage to use it. It held _of _the world something that was apart of _in _the world, but still part of the world at large.

There was a big difference between _in _the world and _of _the world.

Draven was pretty sure that he was the only one who had managed, even if accidentally, to open it up. It was meant, after all, to be the gateway between worlds, to keep the world as a whole, but maybe _keeper _was the right word.

The Mirrored Veil was the keeper of the two worlds that made up _the _world.

But on second thought…if the Mirrored Veil was in the Black Forest, then maybe one, or all, of the founders had managed to open it up in their time. Draven knew for a fact that it was older beyond reckoning. The oldest records he had originally managed to find on it were over 6,000 years old. And even _those _records talked about other records that were thousands of years older than the ones he had read!

The first time he opened it, it had been an accident. He still wasn't sure how he had done it. The second time he had had help opening it up from the Other Side. Years later, he had been kicked out from the other side. This time he would be opening it deliberately.

…If he was able to.

He takes in a deep breath and lets it out. He somehow didn't think that _Alohomora _would be sufficient enough to open up something like this. He ran over the inventory of Wizarding spells that he knew in his mind. There were quite a few.

He had learned plenty at the hands of his teachers, his lovers. More than the pleasures of the flesh, more than the pure joy of magic, and its variables, he had learned how to love someone, some_ones_, and it was a great gift.

He had also learned Legilimency, Occulumency and a variety of other things that he wasn't really thinking about for the moment. He wanted to see if a Wizarding spell would suffice first, not wanting to test the…other stuff until he knew that he had to.

He was afraid that it wouldn't work.

He keeps looking at the Veil, determined not to turn around and look at Harry and Severus. Determined to keep his concentration and do what he had set out to do. He quickly dismisses all the Transfiguration spells, they would be useless. It would be some kind of Charm, if one even worked, that is.

There _were _some variations of the Alohomora spell, more complex ones that started from the simpler spell. He takes his wand out of his pocket and tries to think of those most effective, those which would be best in a situation such as this.

"_Alessi Inkonodre!_" Nothing. He tries another, then another, and another, feeling frustrated that none of his efforts were working. But on the other hand he knew that it would be so very far from easy, though he had hoped, otherwise _everyone _could get into it, and that would so royally fuck things up.

He hears them talking behind him but he doesn't really pay any attention to what they were saying, twirling his wand in his hand. It was a complicated thing, but he still had some spells at his disposal, they were harder to use and to learn but he was taught well. And they weren't as hard as the _other _kind that he knew.

"_Augurius ite meridicy!_" It was a spell that was supposed to reveal a set pattern that was over a spell, so you could break it down piece by piece, like you could do to someone's wards. The reason that it wasn't heard of really was the sheer fact that it was so hard to cast, even harder to learn, required a large effort and the energy to cast it.

He had only cast it a couple of times before, managing to dismantle some set wards that his teacher had put up for him to take down.

But even this spell had no effect and the Veil continued to shimmer like it had, with no outward effect. He sighs, shoulders slumping. He could think of no other solution, and he knew that, without pride, that if _he _couldn't do it with Wizardry spells, then they wouldn't be able to…

No, it looked as he would have to (try and) use the _other_ kind of magic which he was familiar with. The magic that was apart of him and separate, a magic which had helped him to resurrect Severus and the others…for a price.

The Wild Magic.

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Harry was getting a little impatient but he tried to tamp it down. Draven knew more about this sort of thing after all. And he didn't want the wrong thing to happen just because he was getting impatient.

Fred and George were muttering something to one another that he couldn't hear.

He glances at his Bond-mate, shaking his head mentally in amusement, who was talking to his parents at the moment. He couldn't hear what they were saying (if he really tried hard enough he probably could, but he didn't want to intrude) but whatever was being said had his mum, hands on hips talking to her husband and her best friend both.

His dad was shaking his head slightly and Severus had his lips pursed a bit. He turns his head around to look at Draven who was looking at the shimmering…thing. He hadn't said what it was. And a question was burning in Harry's mind.

Draven had talked about his teachers, the older one and the protégé, both whom taught him lots about magic. And Draven later on resurrected Severus and the others. So why couldn't he have resurrected his…lovers? Had his powers gone out on him like Tonks' had when she was trying to talk Remus into being with her?

Harry recalled Tonks having mousy brown hair and not the bubble gum pink that he had been used to, for awhile, right up until her and Remus had gotten together.

So had Draven's powers went out the same way?

If so…then what caused them to come back then?

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"This is the Mirrored Veil," he says, vaguely pointing in the direction of it as he talked to them and pursing his lips slightly. "I had read a couple of very old books, but it was supposed to be nothing more than a rumor, even more so than the Chamber of Secrets _ever _was." He said.

James shakes his head. "But…if that's the case…I mean I've heard about it too. I managed to stumble on it when I was looking for stuff to turn me and, "He looks at Severus, but knew that Severus already knew about his secrets, the Marauder's secrets. "Sirius and Wormtail into Animagi. It was a really, really, old book and I don't think that it had a copy like it in the library, I mean I found the book we needed…well, we sneaked into Dumbledore's rooms—"

Lily puts her hands on her hips. "And just how did you all manage that feat?"

"We waited for someone to have to come to Albus' rooms and finally McGonagall showed up and we sneaked in after her. I don't think Albus knew…I mean, he didn't know that we were Animagi, but he must have known that we got into his rooms. He never acted like he knew, never showed any outward sign. We—me and Siri—found his library." James said.

"There were so many books I had never even _heard _of before! We were looking for the Animagi book when I came across another book, it talked about a lot of things that I vaguely knew, some I had never heard of, some I knew. It talked about the Mirrored Veil, all I can remember it saying was something about a 'bridge' between, something like that anyway."

Severus shakes his head. "That's about all I heard about it as well. It has been kept hush-hush better than I expected—now that I know that it is real, that is." He says, his robes billowing ever so slightly from a breeze that comes in. It was cool, but not cold. For him anyway. He was used to the coldness of the dungeons, so it took a lot to make him truly cold.

Being around the Dark Lord had done that.

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He knew that he had no other choice; he must try and call upon the Wild Magic and hope that it could hear him, and that it could help him.

He wanted to go home, he wanted things to go back how they had been…he wanted his lovers back. Why had things alter so drastically? Why did he have to prove himself? Why couldn't have things just stayed the same? Watching his lovers die before his eyes…trying to resurrect the protégé and failing.

It wouldn't work! He could still remember, still feel, the despair. Felt his teacher, his lover, one of his Bonded, grab onto him and then push him away when he was about to get hit. Had died for him, and he had barely enough time to talk to him in the end. And then he gets pushed out…

He had not told them the total truth; there had been no Aurors on that night. Aurors were not apart of where he had lived, but there _were _Soul Stalkers, mingling with the Endarkened. The things of nightmares that were thought to only be a myth _in _the world.

_Of _the world was another story. Or you could call it the Other world. It was apart of _the _world at large, but it was separate from _this _world. That was what the Mirrored Veil was for. So called Mirrored because it showed another world, two worlds that were apart of a whole. It wasn't like things on the Other side were in the exact opposite, no; it was more like there were things that were similar to things in this world but…different.

He wouldn't try to explain it to them, which was why he hadn't told them where they were going. He _couldn't _explain it to them. It would be next to impossible to tell everything that needed to be told, the most important things would come when he opened the Veil…if he could.

He takes in a few deep breaths and lets them out. He stares at the shimmer of the Veil for a moment, then turns around to look at their group.

"Um," he starts. It gets their attention and they turn from their conversations to look at him. He felt the nervousness creep back in and he avoids a couple pair of eyes that he knew could spear right through him with ease…if they just knew it.

"I'm going to…"He tries to start again, licking his lips from nervousness, from the task at hand and at being their center of attention. He clears his throat and moves his shoulders back. His teacher would be shamed if he kept acting like he was. And he must speak clearly so they would know what he was talking about.

"I am going to be using a different kind of magic than you all are familiar with," He tells them, crossing his arms over his chest for a moment, the Veil moving as if in a shimmering wave behind him, silvery, almost like a Pensieve memory.

"I am telling you this so you can stand back. I am…not sure what would happen if all of you all were close enough to it. This magic is a magic of good, but of price. And I cannot take from you with what you are not willing to give. You must agree if you are to be apart of the spell, and I would not ask that of you all."

They seem to try and process this information, and seem to do it pretty well considering the circumstances. Severus is the one that speaks up.

"A price to use a spell?" He asks. Draven nods.

"Yes. There are two or three prices depending on what you are doing, and how many people do it. There is the price that the caster must pay for casting the spell, there is the price that the caster must take for the spell being used and completed, but other people can also share in the price of a spell so that the caster will not have so heavy a price."

It was a lesson well learned, and one he learned fast after he received his Three Books. He had been taught well, and not only by his Teacher and the Protégé either. He learned from different people for this different type of Magic. …He missed the place that had become Home.

He could see more questions waiting to be asked, so he raises a hand. "Like I said, I would not ask you to help me pay for this, no matter how willing you were." He had to make sure it would even work first…

He takes his wand and points it at the ground. "Incendio Bohandre!" It was a variation on the Incendio spell that he had learned so he could create a fire that he needed off hand but at the same time would not burn the forest, or wherever he was, down. A fire burns in a pile of wood and debris.

He puts up his wand, knowing that it would help him no further, and takes out a sheathed dagger that he had in a hidden pants pocket. Always well to be prepared. He runs it over his palm, making a deep enough cut that blood wells out of it and drips onto the ground.

He could hear them making sounds behind him, but he ignores them, concentrating on the task at hand. He plucks out a few strands of hair and dips them into the blood before throwing them into the fire. It ignites for a moment and he could feel that all too familiar tingle of magic, the shielding that was now around them.

He had not been deserted. Entirely at least.

"What _is _that?" He vaguely heard one of the twins saying. He knew that they must be feeling it too, if not seeing the 'aura' of the magic that surrounded them.

He focuses his mind on what he wanted, what he needed, what _they _needed: _I need for the Veil to open; I need to get them in here. _

It was a specific asking and he knew that the price would be higher because of it, but he wasn't about to take any chances. The more specific you asked for something, the higher the price. But you could also turn down the price and not do the spell if you thought it to be too high, that was how the Wild Magic worked; you did not have to do anything which you did not want to do.

Suddenly he feels the _presence_ and knows for sure now that he had not been deserted, though he had thought that he would not be able to do another spell in the Wild Magic as it had failed him right after he had gotten back here to _this _world. Then again, maybe it hadn't failed; maybe he just couldn't use it because the Gods of the Wild Magic were waiting for _him _to take action. Things worked that way sometimes.

The Wild Magic was always supposed to work, so long as all the materials were there, and the Price willing to be paid by the Wildmage. This was a magic that could not be stolen from you, and no one else could use your Three Books, at least without permission, so long as you were another Wildmage. Non-Wildmages did not see anything in the _Book of Moon_, the _Book of Sun, _or the _Book of Stars_.

There were instances when the Gods of the Wild Magic, Leaf and Star, or whatever you wanted to call it/them, worked on its/their own. All for the good of the Light, but nearly every single time without fail was done by using Wild Magic. Though this was a time, a time that had happened before, leading Wildmages and Knight-Mages down the right path with the Wild Magic.

He feels the presence and waits for the Price, willing to accept almost anything to get back inside. And then it comes;

_When the time comes, you must come clean and tell the complete truth to them. _

That wouldn't seem like something big for someone else maybe, but that would be a hard thing for him to do, but he would—the presence speaks again, surprising him.

_Time was not supposed to be bended this way, by these creatures. When the time comes, you must come clean and tell the complete truth to them…Even if it will not turn out the way that you think it will. You must be willing to let go._

He lets out a breath. It was asking for a higher price indeed, in more ways than one. But, he had to get them in here.

_I accept._

He felt the _presence _depart and suddenly the Forest is filled with white light and the Veil gets ripped wide open. He stares at the scene of a springtime forest in front of him, different than the one he, and they, were in.

He walks forward.

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	14. Towards Sentarshadeen

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one.

A/N: Squee! We are now crossing into the territory I have been waiting for! I cannot express how happy this makes me, because ever since I knew what I would be doing for the story as a whole, I have wanted to get to this point, and now we are getting there! I wonder how people will like what is on the Other side. Some may not know what it's from, but I did discuss something about something I liked…

DEDICATED: To Solitaire and Xpine, the reasons that I have come to LOVE slash and yaoi. It is because of their story Return of the Demon. Love, love, LOVE their story!

Pairing of the Day (that isn't Snarry): Jack/Sawyer (or Jawyer) for sheer smexy ness, also Yami/Yugi/Seto (Because of the mentioned ROTD) and Joey/Ryou/YamiBakura (also because of ROTD).

Story of the day: Even Score by elise509 (on livejournal) I love her Jack and Sawyer, and I love how they both fight so hard but the feelings…oh, it's better to read it, better than I can explain it. Guh. Xx Plus it also has Jack/Sawyer/Kate which is one of my fave threesomes. Next to Jack/Sawyer/Sayid, Y/YY/S, and J/R/B

Book of the Day: Eldest by Christopher Paolini (which I am working on a fic set directly after Eldest) and the Outstretched Shadow (which…has certain elements…shifty eyes)

Author of the Day: Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory (I am re-re-re-re-etc reading The Outstretched Shadow again. LOVE the Obsidian Trilogy! And I am picky about fantasy too!)

Fanfic author of the day: elise509 (for her Jack/Sawyer and her fic Time Out which is a Jack/Sawyer/Sayid, mmm.), lillyseyes (for her fic Critical Choices and her new one shot Always the teacher), Madame Hardy (for her Riddick/Jack fic; The Sound and the Furyan, which is one of the few het pairings that I like/love.) and Solitaire and Xpine for Return of the Demon.

Severus's thoughts are in _**italic bold. **_Harry's are in _italic _and Draven's are in _underlined italic. _Everyone else's thoughts are in _italic._

REMEMBER TO READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN-

Towards Sentarshadeen

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It loomed there; waiting. He stares at it, watching Draven's retreating form as he passes through it without a second thought. He looks over at his Bond-mate. Harry looked a bit nervous, but determined. Severus grabs his hand and Harry looks at him.

It was rather surreal how the events of just a few days seemed to change the landscape of everything he once thought he knew. It seemed even longer than it had been, something tugging at the back of his mind, but not giving him the vital part of the information that he needed.

He tightens his hold on Harry's hand, not caring if they all stared or not, needing the feeling of Harry in his hand, needing that connection, because he wasn't feeling completely there. It was as if when the Veil had opened, that something had…_lifted_, or almost did.

_**I love you.**_

_I love you too._

He looks back at the Veil, glances at Harry for a moment and lets his hand go as he too walks forward and through the Veil.

He was once again surrounded in woods, but these looked quite different from the dark and forbidding ones in the Black forest. These woods were enveloped in sunlight and were the most beautiful trees that he had ever seen, and he was not a person who thought trees were particularly anything, other than useful. The air was clean and he thought that he smelled a faint hint of cinnamon in the air.

He glances to his right and sees Draven looking at him, or rather looking _through _him. He seemed to be reliving something that Severus could only guess at. Severus could not see anything else other than the woods, but he supposed that there was something nearby. He hoped so at least, it had been a giant leap of faith for him to trust Draven in something like this, and he hoped that it would be worth it.

Through Harry, Severus had learned that it was alright to trust people. It wasn't a giant thing or anything, but he was taking slower steps, and then this large leap of trust. And anyways—he wouldn't let his Bond-mate go where he wasn't, and potentially be in danger.

He turns slightly as he feels Harry coming closer, and sees him walking through the Veil. As soon as Harry comes through, the Veil closes up so quickly that even with James running up to it, he can't get through and then there was no sign of the Veil, nor a sign of the others that had come with them.

Harry runs back to the spot where the Veil had just been and Severus walks forward as well, he could hear Draven walk up behind them. There was no sign that anything had just been there, had been a bridge way, just moments ago. Neither was there a ripple in the air, a sign of known magic. It was as if the Veil really didn't exist. He knew it did—he just walked through it—but this was a situation which confounded him.

"What the—" Harry starts to say as Severus turns around sharply to look at Draven. He was taller than him and he looked ever more intimidating, having years to hone his skills as a spy and more.

"Did you do this?" he asks in a flat, even voice.

Draven shakes his head back and forth quickly.

"No. That wasn't me," he says. "I swear to you that I didn't. I don't have control over that sort of thing. I was lucky enough to be able to _open _the Veil up. I couldn't control when it closed. And I didn't think that it…"

The look alone on the younger man's face was enough for Severus to relax a bit, knowing that Draven didn't do it on purpose, and the magic that Draven had used was a lot different than Severus had ever seen, so he supposed that it ended in its own way, however that was.

But now they had to figure out just what to do; the others were left behind. Could Draven re-open it? _Would _he? Perhaps they needed to go forward first? He looks back at the young man who looks as perplexed as he and Harry did. Draven turns and looks at Harry.

He shakes his head. "I…I don't think that I can open it. At least I don't think so. That last spell took a big bit of my energy, so I can't do it, at least not yet." Draven said. "I have friends here, and we can wait until I get my energy back up and…" He looks around for a moment, biting on his lip slightly.

"And?" asked Harry.

Draven just shrugs, looking helpless. "I…I suppose that the others will head back into Hogwarts. They'll probably seek out the person most likely to have an answer…someone who usually does…"

"Albus."

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"What the bloody hell…?"

James looks dumbfounded at the spot where the Veil had just been and was now gone as if it had never been there to begin with. He whirls around to see everyone else looking in surprise.

"You don't think that Draven…?" asked Fred. "I mean…he _is _the one who opened it up…"

Lily shakes her head and looks at her husband and at the younger twins. "No. I don't think that he would do anything like that. We talked a bit as we were…as he was resurrecting the others, and he seems like a genuine man." She said. "I have a better feeling about him than…I _ever _did with Wormtail."

"Yeah, and that magic that he used _did _seem to be a bit volatile," said George, backing Lily up. "Not bad or anything, just…not what we're…used to seeing."

They all turn to glance back at the empty space which once held the Veil, then turn back to each other.

"We should probably head back and talk to Albus," said James. "That'd probably be our best course of action, there is no point in waiting around her for who knows how long for something to open, which we don't even know if it will. And none of us know how to do the magic that Draven did, but Albus might, or might at least be able to tell us something more. That man is a veritable library in his own right."

They all nod and with a final glance back at the empty space, they start the trek back the way they came.

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They start to walk forward, it was quiet in the wooded area, and none of them seemed inclined to say anything, but Harry found himself suddenly blurting out;

"So where exactly is it we are going?"

Draven and Severus both stop and they both look at him, and he wonders if he managed to get it out right. Draven raises a brow, looking at Severus for a moment before turning to Harry. He inclines his head a little.

"I must apologize, I have been unthinkably rude, "said Draven. "It is of my opinion that we are heading in the direction of the city of Sentarshadeen, and it seems, if things keep moving in the way that they have been, then perhaps we might run into some of my friends, and maybe even learn something which we might possibly use later on, if the occasion ever rose up."

Harry stares at him, his mouth slightly agape. He had never heard someone speak so formally in his life, not even his Aunt and Uncle who tried so hard to impress their company and such. It was as if the Draven he had slowly been coming to know, had left, and in his place was a more sophisticated, less light hearted, and much more politer and formal.

Severus also looked at Draven, though he looked more impressed, and did not have an agape mouth like his Bonded. He was looking at Draven with a more calculated look than he had given him before.

"Um…in English?" asked Harry, timidly. He was wondering if Draven would start speaking even more formally.

"I apologize," said Draven, smiling a little bit. "I am just getting myself back into the habit of speaking that way. Where we are going…they speak much more formally, for they are an unhurried race of people. You may be asked a question and not even know it. But we are here!" He looked excited for a moment before tamping it down, looking more serious once more.

"They will have much more of an answer that we are looking for. The Soul Stalkers…they do not work alone." Draven said, this time his eyes darted away from theirs. "I know somewhat of the story…but I think it best that we get to the city before we speak of it. It is not a thing to speak of in such a place of beauty, and a time that is supposed to be of peace."

Harry holds down what he had just been going to ask, but Severus speaks.

"And all will be revealed?" asked Severus. "You will let us know why you have been so mysterious? I have wondered for awhile now…but I have kept my mouth shut because I have trusted you. I continue to trust you, but now is the time for answers. You understand this, don't you?"

Draven nods, a bit of hair moving around his face as the wind breezed around them for a moment. "I understand completely, Severus." He said seriously. "Just like I understand what an honor it truly means that you allow me to use your first name. I know that it is something that is not to be treated lightly, and for that, I thank you."

_Now _Severus actually managed to be taken aback. He hides it remarkably well, and in the next moment, it was gone, leaving anyone to wonder if his face had really looked that way for a moment.

It was silent for a moment, no sound other than the breeze as it went through. But then the moment passes and Draven straightens himself up. He starts to take a step and they start to also, but then he stops. His face contorts in concentration for a moment, seeming to be listening for something.

His face clears and he turns his head to look at the Bond-mates.

"…I think it would be wise if I walked forward alone for a bit, enough so you can see me, but enough so…" Draven said, clearly trying to get something out, but having a bit of difficulty, probably because he had been holding so much in. "There are certain customs also, in Sentarshadeen. And it would be best if you would stay out of sight until things can be done. Is that alright?"

They both thought on that for a few moments, weighing in the pros and cons, talking to each other a bit mentally to see what the other one thought, and finally come to a conclusion. They both turn to look at Draven, who had been patiently waiting for them.

"That'd probably be the best thing to do," admitted Harry, knowing that if just talking to _Draven _who was using some formal speech, then a whole group of them…and he didn't want to be, or for Severus to be, hexed on the spot, or something.

Draven looks at them for a moment, and then takes a small bag out of his pocket; he rummages inside it and pulls out two silvery cloaks that should not be able to fit in something that small. It was obviously a mokeskin bag, although it looked different than the one that Hermione had.

He hands them both a cloak each, and the cloaks themselves had a silvery shimmer to them that made Harry think of his own invisibility cloak, which he had stupidly forgotten in his rooms.

"Here," said Draven. "These are _tarnkappa's, _the one I handed you Harry is your own, I just modified it a little bit so you would get more out of it than had been previously been put in it. I think maybe that some of the magic could have run out a bit in it, or they just stupidly forgot to add Darksight…but what do I know?"

He glances at Severus who had a similar looking one. "They will keep you completely concealed; sound, smell, everything you can think of, these can also let you see clearly in the darkest of places, they are not easy to make, but well worth it. I think perhaps that the Perevell's perhaps were…anyway, they will also keep you concealed from _each other _but with the two of you being Bonded, that shouldn't be an issue, but all the same; I would still appreciate it if you two stood back a bit as I walk, I am not sure what will come."

He barely takes in their nods as they put on the _tarnkappa's _and hurries ahead. He seemed quite eager to head forward and into the place of Sentarshadeen…whatever that was.

There was no sound for the next few minutes, other than the faint footsteps of Draven, his breathing and the sound of the beautiful forest. It wasn't until Draven starts to slow down his footsteps and take a breather does something happen.

One moment there was nothing standing in front of Draven and then in the very smallest next instance there was someone standing before the young man.

A…_Elf?_

"Declare yourself!"

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A/N: Don't worry! Chapter 15 will be coming very soon, I will start writing on it as soon as I stop writing this A/N, and well before I post chapter 13. I am finally to that point which I have been wanting to get to, and I know that people are dying to know just what it is about Draven's history and how he plays in with Severus and Harry and everyone else, and just what it is about the other side of the world that they went through because of the Mirrored Veil.

I thank all of you for your encouragement and support, now go out and REVIEW!!!

Email me at sbyamibakura (at) ask me about ideas for a one shot and I will look through them, and maybe you can see a one-shot of your choosing! I will make sure to let people know who I did it for, etc.


	15. Into the elven capital of Sentarshadeen

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K Rowling, Warner Bros, etc. the Obsidian Trilogy is owned by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, etc. I make no profit from this, other than my own pleasure. I only own this story, including Draven and my own ideas. Why the sudden change in disclaimers? Well…

Warning: LONG CHAPTER!! Rated M for sexual content, slash, violence, language, etc. Don't like, don't read. Le gasp!...Crossover-ness? Say it isn't so! xD Guhaha! I have ze plans!...Why am I suddenly sounding like ze Fleur girl?

Set…After _Deathly Hallows_. And after--shuts mouth OxO

Feedback: Yes, please. I love reviews, they come in nice flavors. Flames I don't really like, but I do take constructive criticism, and believe me, there _is_ a difference!

Archive: Email me to ask, and let me know where. I am very agreeable. Plus, it'd be awesome to see my story archived somewhere, like on a LJ Snarry thing or something. Maybe on a famous-y lj site like Snarryreader or something…one could hope. It'd be my dream to be interviewed for that site, or for any kind of Snarry site, or fanfic site, it would be saying that what I have accomplished has been worth something to people.

Pairings: HP/SS, DC/?, RW/HG, etc. You'll see!

Website of the day: http://sky-dark. (Pictures of cosplaying Ed/Roy says enough; not to mention her insanely wonderful Roy/Ed series TARM: SET, BLTA, and True Story, musts for any Roy/Ed or yaoi fan.)

Pairing of the day (that isn't Snarry): Spuffy, and Jack/Sawyer. Maybe some Darren/Larten? p I have kind of wondered… or maybe some Darren/Kurda or Darren/Vanez or…god, when did the _Cirque du Freak _series suddenly get so slashy? .

Music of the day: Evanescence, System of a Down, Queen, Metallica, etc.

TV of the day: Heroes, Supernatural, Scrubs, Smallville, ANTM, Moonlight, etc.

Movie of the Day: Dirty Dancing. (The original, the 'sequel' was not that great.)

Author of the day: Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, Darren Shan.

Fanfic Author of the Day: Solitaire and Xpine, elise509, Yami Czarina and sky-dark.

Book of the Day: The Obsidian Trilogy, and the Cirque du Freak series.

Manga of the Day: Fruits Basket. (LOVE!! 3 3 3)

Fanfic of the Day: Return of the Demon by Solitaire and Xpine, Punishment by elise509, and Coalescence by Yami Czarina.

A/N (READ!): The hatch in S2 of LOST is like the mecca for LOST fanfic, I swear…

(I am ashamed to admit that I suffer from review-whore syndrome; I must have reviews! xD) I must say that I have _never _in my whole time of reading HP fic, het, gen, and slash that I have _never _ever seen a Harry Potter crossover fic with the Obsidian Trilogy. And I have been reading HP fic for going on 7 years now. I hereby am calling myself the FIRST ONE TO DO IT! YOU HEAR ME?!!!?!!?!?! p

R.I.P Peter Petrelli's hair from Season 1 of Heroes. Will you ever come back?? ;; And why is it that _Nathan Petrelli _suddenly has gotten sexy? It's not the beard, though I imagine shaving it off and…Hiro is awesome, Matt is cool, Mohinder is cool and everything, but Sayid has him beat for smexyness. (Grow your hair back Peter Petrelli! What will Claire think?! Yes, yes, I am a Paire fan. Mmm…yum…Paire…)

YOU WANT BACKSTORY AND FACTS?! WELL YOU GOT THEM BUSTER!!!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN-

Into the Elven Capital of Sentarshadeen

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"Declare yourself!"

That voice alone brought forth a whole load of memories that seemed like had been forever ago. The look of the man had not changed any—he hadn't expected it to, Elves only showed their age towards the very end of their lives, which were very long lived indeed.

The long black hair, the black eyes, he wore a deep blue surcoat and wore armor that was lacquered in a dark blue glaze the color of the midnight sky, through which silver stars embossed on the armor's surface shone and twinkled. He wore a sword at his side and had a crescent shaped shield at his back, which matched his armor down to the design of the silver stars.

He looked magnificent; beautiful, and a sight better than Draven had seen in a long time.

"I See you, Jermayan," said Draven.

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It felt similar to his invisibility cloak, Harry thought. _Very _similar, but Draven said that he had made a few additions to it, although he couldn't tell. But he said something about Darkvision and things like that.

He looks around him, but cannot see his Bond-mate anywhere. It was only after searching through their Bond that he knew his location, a few steps ahead of him on his left. It felt rather freeing to be able to walk without fear of someone coming up on him, being able to keep away from prying eyes. Draven said something about how you couldn't be heard, seen, smelled or anything like that. It was similar to what his cloak had before, but the extra additions were quite welcome.

A few minutes pass as they walk, all in silence, even between the Bonded, and finally they come to a sudden halt. Harry wondered why; there was nothing in sight, and the surroundings, while wondrous and beautiful to look at, looked about the same.

His question was answer in the next second. Literally one second there was just Draven standing there, and in the next, there was a man standing in front of Draven.

No, not just a man…an elf.

He wore blue clothes and armor that looked more magnificent than any Harry had ever seen in his life, nowhere _near _like the armor in Hogwarts, or in any of the books Harry had read or seen, or anything like that. This was _wonderful_.

"Declare yourself!" said the elf.

"I See you, Jermayan." Draven said.

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He watches as Draven keeps moving on ahead; silent. He could see the look in Draven's face; he seemed in quite a hurry, eager, and…a bit anxious? Severus didn't even _have _to be a Legilimens to see what the young man was expressing.

And he knew that the younger man had a fine ability to hold his emotions in; Severus had tried to poke around once while they all had been talking and found that Draven's mind was held together quite well. It impressed him.

The walking comes to a sudden halt and Draven stands there for a moment, his eyes now concealing the emotions that had been much more obvious mere moments ago. Not a second passed when there was suddenly a man standing before Draven, a man with pointed ears and quite beautiful.

A…elf. An Elf?!

What in Merlin's name was going on?

"Declare yourself!" said the elf.

"I See you, Jermayan."

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The elf looks at him curiously, and suspiciously. He says nothing, but that doesn't bother Draven in the slightest because he knew a couple of things. One was that if one wished (in Elven society) to be left alone, you did not have to acknowledge back to someone, letting them know that they didn't wish for you to "See" them.

And then there was the fact of his own appearance. Well, it was certainly a change from which Jermayan had been used to seeing; that was for sure…

"…I am need of your help, Bright Shield," said Draven, quietly. Bright shield was what Jermayan name translated to from the ancient Elven language. Jermayan actually looked surprised at this, and the Elves knew how to keep a straight face!, and seems both more suspicious, and wondering at the same time.

There were very few that actually called Jermayan, 'Bright Shield', and he was one of them, if not the only one who really did. And Jermayan knew that.

There was a long pause.

"…Draven?" Jermayan said quietly, looking shocked, his black eyes wide.

Draven moves his head in accordance, and looks up at Jermayan. He smiles minutely.

"Yes, although I know I look _much _different than you are used to; a spell hit me before I got knocked through the Mirrored Veil, I'm not sure who did it or where it came from, but it did this," gesturing at himself. "To me. Though I don't think it was meant to alter my appearance. And forgive me for speaking so plainly. One would observe that War Manners would not be quite so amiss in such a situation, should it be known whether or not the fighting had continued in ones stead."

"One would observe that the fighting has continued in the stead of many people," said Jermayan, his hand moving away from his sword. "And that people have been worrying over the absence of loved ones."

Draven knew exactly what he meant and his heart pulled at the thought of hurting the people who he considered family, no, who _were _family.

"And that…you have been missed Draven," said Jermayan, softly. "You…and them as well…You are right in which War Manners may be used for the moment, and perhaps you would tell me what happened after you…left?"

Draven lets out a breath.

"Yes, but I think it would be better to do it in the company of all those who might wish…no, so _I _might see them. I have missed all of you. And…I do not come alone." Draven said. Jermayan looked a bit puzzled. "I would like to introduce myself, and my party, with manners such as I have learned, by your leave."

Jermayan nods and Draven turns slightly, looking at the general locations of where he thought Harry and Severus were, by feeling their magic. He could only do so because he made one of the _tarnkappa's _and made an addition to the other one. Plus his own abilities that did not include the magic from the Wizarding world.

"Harry, Severus, if you please," he said, hearing Jermayan give a small gasp of surprise, one which would be hard to notice from most people. But he had had practice.

First one _tarnkappa _comes off, then another right after it, with Harry and Severus both standing there. They look at Draven and Jermayan with a look of surprise; they had heard the whole conversation, of course, and to actually see a real live elf must be boggling their minds. Then again they had…

"I See you, Jermayan, son of Malkirinath, Elven Mage, and Bonded of Ancaladar. I bring before you Harry Potter, son of James Potter, wizard and vanquisher of Tom Riddle, and Severus Snape, son of Tobias Snape, Potions Master and provider the aid in which Tom Riddle would not have been defeated otherwise." Draven said, in the politest of tones.

"I See you, Draven Wildmage, mage of the _other _world and in this world. User of Resurrection magic, though one wonders if the magic of said magic has run out. " said the elf, just as politely.

Draven inclines his head.

"One…would suppose so and seemingly for a good reason." Draven said. "I have not discussed it with anyone, and no one has known anything about it…but that particular magic seems to have gone away when I finished resurrecting the last of them." He glances at Harry and Severus. "I only had a week to finish resurrecting them and to make sure that…" He lets out a breath. "Your Bond which was already there—would go to its completion."

Severus managed to speak up first. "You…you knew about it all along then?" Draven nods. "And you…what? Rushed along something which would have flourished on its own?" Draven nods again.

"I had to. If I hadn't…then I would never have been able to resurrect the rest of them." Draven says quietly. "That was my price for the spell. That I had to speed along your Bond. So I did. It let me bring back people who were needed to help in this—to stop the Soul Stalkers and…" He shakes his head. "I promise I will tell you two everything, I _will_, but it must be done in a safer place. We are safe—but we will be safer in Sentarshadeen."

He looks towards Jermayan who gives a swift nod, seeming to come out a reverie. He gestures for them to walk forward. Draven looks back at the two Bond-mates.

"You don't have to wear the _tarnkappa's _anymore; I just wanted to be able to come up to Jermayan at first without any extra surprises." Jermayan raises a brow, Draven smirks. "I said 'at first'."

The pair nods at him. And they all start to walk, Draven next to Jermayan with Harry and Severus right behind them, standing next to each other.

"So…this city, Sentarshadeen?" asked Harry. Draven nods as they walk, letting Harry know that he heard the question, as does Jermayan. "Is it a city of elves?"

Draven stops for a moment, and then continues on. "Nearly all. Though there is Kellen—human and he's a Knight-mage. I'll explain later," he says, after glancing and seeing the blank look. "And there is the unicorn herd."

This time he _does _stop, and his shoulders shake, which they then see is from laughter.

"Wait till they see _Shalkan_!" exclaimed Draven, laughing. Jermayan shakes his head, but it was apparent that he was hiding a smile. Severus exchanges a look with Harry, before shaking his head. They all start to walk off again.

The rest of the way was in silence until they get to the edge of the city, and suddenly hear a loud roar.

"Ah, it seems Ancaladar is getting impatient over something or has noticed something perhaps," said Draven. Jermayan nods. Draven turns his head to glance at Severus and Harry.

"Oh. And we also have a dragon."

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"Now, now. What is it that has all of you so worked up?" asked Albus, straightening his dressing gown as they all were talking and saying things, making it hard to make out just what was going on.

They had accosted Albus on his way back to his room (he said something about having an appetite for some late night dessert, or something like that), and started all talking, and loudly, in the hallway.

The commotion was waking up portraits that either muttered, or said some curses that would make most people blush. A wall suddenly opens up next to Albus and reveals a door, a man walks through and the door goes back without incident, no sign it having ever been there. It was Sirius.

"What the devil is going on?" demanded Sirius, looking strangely ruffled and his face red, as if he had been just doing something which required some effort. He looks around a bit. "Why are you all here? Where are Harry, Draven and Snape?"

No one gets the chance to answer as the wall behind Sirius opens up once more, and this time it was Remus who comes through it. He too looked ruffled and a face a bit red.

Fred and George looked at each other, brows raises simultaneously before turning to Sirius and Remus and grinning. James raises a brow, but doesn't look all that surprised; Lily smiles gently.

It was silent for a moment, before the parties actually thought about what Sirius had asked, but no one was sure what to say now, when moments ago they were all talking over each other.

Finally someone speaks up, but it wasn't any of the party that set out with the Bond-mates and the young prodigy wizard; it was Albus.

"So Draven managed to get the Mirrored Veil open then?" he asks no one in particular.

There was stunned silence for a moment until a crash gets their attention, and they turn to see Tonks coming from the wall that Remus had, and Sirius had, went out of, and had tripped over something.

She stands up, just as ruffled looking and red as the other two, and looks at everyone, questioningly.

"So _what's _so important that I got pulled out of bed for?"

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Ron and Hermione had no idea what was going on, with Draven, Harry and Severus or with the others at the moment, (not that they didn't care, but…) as they were too busy in the Astronomy Tower—

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It all felt quite surreal to his senses, but he also knew that this place, this _world_, was just as real as the one he belonged to, more so in some respects. Although he had never met an elf, nor knew that any actually existed (other than house-elves, which were not elves at all, though they shared pointed ears, but that was all).

And there were dragons here too! It filled Severus' heart with a lighter feeling than he could remember feeling in a long time, other than the feeling when he looked upon Harry, or thought about him.

And…it also felt like the right thing to do, be here in this place, in this moment, this point and time. It felt like a necessary addition to the whole picture, whatever that was.

He looks at Harry and smiles, squeezing his hand. Harry smiles back at him, and he felt the pure love and trust emanating from the younger man, and it made him feel good, though it still quite surprised him, not all too surprising considering it hadn't been very long since he had been _brought back from the dead_, much less Bonding with Harry, being with Harry…

He felt freer than he could ever remember being, _ever_. Because although he was being brought into a part of something new, something Fate had in store, he still was doing this of his own accord, like Fate would bend to his wishes, should he choose not to do this, but he _was _doing this, and he _wanted _to.

It also felt like it was something that _he _needed, himself in particular. That something needed to be learned, or something needed to be done, for his own self. That he would get rid of this slightly nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he did not understand, nor could see what it was, as great a Legilimens as he was.

He was ready to put all his demons, which were many (though some had finally gone), to rest. He wanted to move on, move on with his Bonded; with Harry. Because somehow, something happened, and Harry _loved _him, and he had this second chance that he never expected to receive; this reprieve.

He would treasure every moment.

…Even if he still _was _going to be a snarky, sarcastic, greasy, and bastard to everyone.

(Which would mean he would be happy, oh yes, he would. Had to have fun after all…)

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Harry looks upon Severus' smiling face and smiles in return. He loved this lighter side of Severus that was rarer than the snarky man everyone else knew. Although Harry had seen more of the lighter side. He loved both, and all, sides to Severus, and loved to have the war of words with him.

The man knew so many, and spoke in such a manner (and that _voice_!) that it made for a all around enjoyable time.

Thinking about it, and looking around his surroundings, Harry felt a strange sense of urgency, like something needed to happen, and _soon_. He was also enjoying the surrounding area, and the wonder and awe in seeing a real life _elf_!

He had read about elves in books, and had liked them. But he had no idea that they were truly real, as real as everything else in _his _world, though his world had only house-elves, who were no more elves than Harry was, other than the sharpness of their ears.

Although Harry wasn't sure that elves had magic, like the house-elves did. Though he vaguely remembered Draven talking to the elf, Jermayan, saying that Jermayan was an Elven Mage…or something. They both had been talking so formally that it had been hard to distinguish some of the things that they were saying.

He didn't think that Severus had any trouble with their speech though. That was something the Potions Master was great at. He would probably _love _where they were headed to, with so much intellectual stimulation around.

Now if Harry could only wrap his head around it.

He had the feeling that it would both be harder, and easier, than he thought.

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"So why is Ancaladar not with you?" Draven asked Jermayan. He knew that while they were in the wooded area, War Manners would still be in effect, so it wouldn't seem terribly rude to ask questions. Though he could have phrased it in the polite speech if he had really wanted, but he felt like being direct, while he could, _because _he could.

"He wished to catch some lunch for himself," said Jermayan, glancing here and there at the woods occasionally, as if looking for something, still probably doing some patrolling in his mind. "And I wished to do a patrol on foot, and he would not be able to squeeze through the wood without knocking a few dozen trees down at a time."

Draven nods, understandingly, although he knew that Harry and Severus must be _dying _to ask some of the questions that had to be on the tip of their tongues.

"Good thing, then that you decided against a patrol with him." Draven said, amused. "Just imagine if he tried to walk through the Flower Forest? Idalia would beat both of you senseless."

"_And _tie us into a sack and sell us to the Selken Traders," said Jermayan, his tone and smile fond. It sounded like a well known repartee between the two. "Yes, would _definitely _do that, if Morusil didn't beat us first for ruining such beautiful flowers."

Draven nods, smiling. "Yes, but of course, we _both _know that would never happen, and Ancaladar wouldn't let something happen to something he thinks is beautiful as well. Even if you both _could _replicate the Flower Forest, which we both know you could…"

"But it wouldn't have the same feel to it."

"True, true." Draven said, coming to a halt.

They had finally reached the city, and he couldn't remember the last time he felt this happy. He only hoped that he could continue to be so…even when the complete truth came out and he was left out in the cold.

Having listened to the price that he must pay for being able to get everyone through the Mirrored Veil, Draven knew that he could have no more illusions about being able to be with his two former loves, whom he had been with for a short time, a happy one, but…

He turns his head and glances at the pair behind him. He would do as the Wild Magic wanted, and let them go, for obviously it was only they that would be together with each other, and Draven would rather die than lose all contact with them, would rather be their friend.

As much as it would hurt him, as much as it hurt him, he would do as he was told. He had to put his own happiness on hold for the moment for the good of the world, both parts, for the Gods of the Wild Magic felt that there was time for a change, for the good of all beings for the Light.

But…

Severus and Harry…

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It was a much more ruffled, red faced, and quiet Ron and Hermione that found James, Lily, Albus, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Fred and George in Albus' study which had been extended to offer more room to everyone, though it was already large in its own right.

They had finally gotten done with their er…'studying' in the Astronomy Tower and an owl had came through the window and hopped up and down to get their attention. It had been addressed to them from Albus Dumbledore, enquiring if they would perhaps join him and the others in his study for a chat.

And now, as they sit down and receive some tea, also know what happened with Harry, Severus, Draven and the others as they had went off.

Only now the Potters, and Fred and George came back, saying that the Mirrored Veil had indeed gotten opened, by a weird kind of magic that Draven did, and went through it. James had started to try and go through as soon as Harry went through, but it shut itself down and they couldn't open it back up, it was as if it had never been there.

The mentioned of the Mirrored Veil was a surprise to Ron and Hermione. Ron had never heard of it, but Hermione gasped when she heard the name being mentioned. She had read about it in some of the books that she had, as well as a couple of books in the restricted section when she had been researching something.

It was one thing to know that the fabled Mirrored Veil actually existed, but it was another entirely to find out all what it was capable of, as well as the fact that it opened, and to other part of our world!

Lily said that the other side that they had seen was a beautiful wooded looking area, and much brighter and homier than the Black Forest which they had been in.

Fred said that the magic that Draven had done was nothing like he had ever seen or heard of, and even Hermione didn't know what kind Draven had done, nor did anyone know how he learned such a thing.

George was the one to point out that Draven had said something about getting allies, and he said that they were this way, and led them to the Mirrored Veil, so obviously Draven had been there before and it was very plausible that he learned that new kind of magic from someone over on _that _side.

Albus was not saying much of anything as they spoke, seeming to wait for the right moment before he said anything. As the speaking came to a stand-still he asks for their attention and they give it to him.

"The magic that our young friend, Draven, did is called the Wild Magic." Albus said, and although he looked, and was, younger than he once was, he still held the wisdom of all his years before, and his humour, etc. "I know of it from him…and from other sources. It is something which I myself cannot use, as only certain people are called to it; and can use it. It is a magic for the good; no person that is evil can ever use it, for the three books of the Wild Magic (which the Wildmage uses) will leave him and never return."

"But…how do you know all this, sir?" asked George. "I mean…you haven't had a long time to speak to him have you?"

_More than you know, Mister Weasley._ Albus thought. _If I were to tell you all that I am one of only two people, other than the Soul Stalkers and Death Eaters on this side of the world to remember that **this **world has changed, that time has gone back, leaving out important things that need to be said…no, I don't suppose that all of you will be happy. _

He had been alive before the time had changed, that somehow the Soul Stalkers had been trying to change time so Voldemort had never died, being unable to use a Time-Turner they had found an older and darker spell through the Endarkened's aid, which had irrevocably altered the course of nature and time.

He had indeed been resurrected by Draven, but the others had not, for the simple fact that they had not died. Not even Severus had died like Draven had thought; he had carried anti-venom to Nagini's poison ever since Voldemort's rise in Harry's fourth year (and which Draven ended up giving to him in flash of blue light, i.e. causing Severus to come back from what surely looked like death, i.e. 'resurrection'), but this was the time when time had altered and made people think things happened which they did not.

For Draven had arrived in Harry's fifth year, from America and carrying with him a great power, (though the power now seemed to filter itself out, from the feeling Albus had). He quickly became very close friends to Harry, and also to Ron and Hermione, not to mentioned Severus Snape, though Draven didn't mention it to the others at first.

Although Albus knew all of this, though Severus didn't mention anything either, he didn't have to; Albus knew many of the castle's secrets and knew much more than people guessed. Though they suspected him of a lot of things.

Harry _did _take Occulumency lessons, although they went better than Harry or anyone else thought they went. Seeing how well the lessons were working (Albus suspected that was due largely to the fact that Harry was also getting closer to Severus by this time, though, again, neither party admitted it—in the beginning anyway.), Albus had asked Severus to also teach Ron, Hermione, and Draven.

Fifth year went on, and Sirius _did _still end up going through the Veil the same way. (The Veil in the department of mysteries, not the Mirrored Veil—the Mirrored Veil was much older.)

And seeing the total heartache in Harry's eyes, and could probably feel it as well, (as Draven was an empath/psychic as well) Draven really _did _bring someone back that time—bringing Sirius back. Not only for Harry, but for Remus as well—Remus, his lover.

And from the look of Sirius and Remus' state, as well as Tonks', it looks like it was that way again.

The foursome's (Harry, Draven, Ron and Hermione's) sixth year went on similarly as well, Harry getting the Half-Blood Prince's book, which Draven learned much earlier than Harry did about it once being Severus'.

This was due to the fact that Severus himself told Draven, partly because Draven had been wondering and had helped Severus help Albus out when the curse on the Gaunt Ring had nearly killed him, and slowly started to do so.

Draven had also been privy to the plan that Albus had made with Severus, about how Severus would be the one to kill Albus. He kept quiet about it well.

Sixth year also included things that Albus learned later, from Draven, and from Severus. About how Draven had crept into Severus' rooms, invisible (as was his usual method of getting down there to talk to him) and found Severus and Harry locked in a heated embrace.

So perhaps that was what made Harry all the more angry when Severus hit him with Avada Kedavra, (not just the fact that he killed him—though Harry didn't know the facts.)

Draven spent the rest of the time after trying to convince Harry of Severus' innocence, killing versus murder. He finally revealed to Harry the truth in what had happened—had made a Pensieve memory to show him.

Another thing was Harry and Ginny Weasley. Although they had briefly dated for a couple of weeks, it did not work—for Harry at least, this was something Albus knew from Harry himself, who told him. He didn't feel any passion, any kind of fire, any _spark _from her.

And then later Albus finds out who does.

Seventh year went on, and Draven resurrects him just as Harry is leaving the house on Privet Drive one final time, leaving them to hurry to the Burrow after the attack on everyone. George's ear still got hexed off, but no one had died, except for Harry's owl, Hedwig.

Severus appears in the Burrow a few hours after, bloody and bruised almost beyond recognition—Voldemort had found out he was a spy. He barely made it out of there alive, only making it due to the fact that he had been carrying around an emergency Portkey should such a situation ever arise.

He gets healed back to health, mostly by Harry and Draven who were the most worried about him. The combined efforts of the two, along with his own intervention, as well as the care of Molly Weasley and Madam Pomfrey who left Hogwarts to help take care of him.

The wedding of Bill and Fleur takes place, and the search for the Horcruxes begins, with Severus with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draven in the beginning, but leaving after awhile, doing his own searching, going to contacts which only he knew, and which would only talk to him alone.

Albus was well familiar with this process.

Suffice to say that Albus finds out that Harry and Severus had become lovers before Severus had left the group, and Severus _does _get bitten by Nagini. But Draven intervenes and Severus receives the potion which he had been holding on his person for over two and a half years, nearly three.

Severus recovers once more and a short while later…he and Harry establish a relationship. This went on for a few years, Severus and Harry, Remus and Sirius, Ron and Hermione; all the while Draven had nobody. But, he seemed to be at peace with something…most of the time.

Six years pass, and so it was when Albus suddenly found out that Harry and Severus had taken Draven to their bed, after having been his teachers since Harry too was also well versed in the Dark Arts, and the like.

This union was unusual, but it worked for all of them, and Severus and Harry had an established Bond by this time…Draven confided in him, and said that she was in love.

Yes; she. Draven in truth was a girl. Draven _Alexandra _Cirle. She had somehow gotten changed when a spell hit her and sent her through the Mirrored Veil. That was another thing, how she, Severus and Harry all got there.

An accident, to be sure, but they all learn new things, meet new people and the like. The second time the Veil opens, it was with help, and he started to send information to them, about the movements of the remaining Death Eaters and the like, ones who now thought of themselves as Soul Stalkers.

And they had stuff to tell him. He knew that everything he was thinking of now, was something that Draven would be telling them soon, not wanting any falsities, although he had this feeling that the three would no longer go on like they had been previously, even if time would somehow get fixed properly.

Draven would probably be looking for a solution in the Wild Magic to alter his appearance back to _her _appearance. She was a beautiful girl, with long black hair that went down her back and dark midnight blue eyes with pale skin. With a rough childhood that she didn't let keep her down, choosing to become stronger, hence changing her original name to Draven, saying that it just felt _right_.

And he hoped that she would be able to find someone of her own. She had been with Severus and Harry true, but although he knew that they all loved one another together, the Bond of Severus and Harry was deeper, and would always remain so. He knew that Draven knew that, and that it would all be fine in the end. The three's love was a deep one, one that was like friends but…not. Deeper than that, deeper in some sense than lovers or Bonds, like Draven was destined to become close to them, for some greater purpose.

The deeper sense seemed to be something wanting something for the greater good. The Gods of the Wild Magic perhaps? Although he himself could not practice Wild Magic, he had seen its effects in person, and on people. And he knew that if _any _kind of magic was the most alive, in many senses of the word, than it would be Wild Magic.

He shakes his head of all these enveloping thoughts and turns to look at George who was waiting, mostly patiently.

"Ah, yes, well, "said Albus, smiling. "I must confess to knowing Draven a bit longer than I said before—"

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The city was magnificent in its beauty, and Draven knew that Harry and Severus were both in awe of the seeming simplicity, and how the city itself blended in with its surroundings, making it seem like it was destined to be apart of the wood, like it was always there. Though Draven knew that Severus was holding his awe in better than Harry's gaping visage.

But that was one of the endearing things about Harry, and Draven knew that Severus felt the same way. He was just glad that he would be able to see all his family, and tell Harry and Severus the truth soon. He was starting to feel the burden which was starting to hang heavily upon his shoulders.

He…that was a funny thought it and of itself. He had gotten as used to being a male as he supposed in the situation. Because, yes, _he _was in truth a _she_. Having been hit by a stray spell, it had done something once she/he had been knocked through the Mirrored Veil. And the girl-woman, who named herself Draven, had suddenly decidedly male parts.

He had composed himself as best as he could, considering the situation, and had managed quite well, then very well once he managed to leave the forest itself and head towards Hogsmeade to resurrect Severus. This was different than the first time that he did it, as the first time, Severus hadn't actually been dead, but was paralyzed from Nagini's venom, and in shock from the loss of blood, but not dead.

He had once, when he had been she, been happy in the embraces of Harry and Severus, though he knew then, and now, that it would never be what Severus and Harry had. …He could accept that now, and maybe even did then. He _did _still love them, and he would always, but it was…different.

There was a difference, because all the while it had been about affection and love between the three. Friends, yes. More than friends, yes. Lovers, yes and no. Lovers in the physical sense, but…partners in the other sense. Yes, that was it. _Partners. _He would not be the kind of 'partner' that Harry was to Severus or vise versa, _but _he was their friend, and hopefully they could regain what they had lost when time had went all wonky.

People might classify what they had been together, if they wanted to be rude, as a 'friends with benefits' type deal, but that wasn't it. Not really, as there was so much more depth and emotion there. He loved them, and knew that they loved him, whether or not they knew it now. And perhaps once/if they remembered, they could have that same closeness again.

But he also knew that he had to find someone of his own, someone to fall in love with completely and give himself over towards. If he could only find them, and could regain his usual form. He hoped that Idalia or perhaps Kellen, or someone would have an answer already; a solution to his problem.

_Though, _he thought amusedly. _I don't suppose Kellen would have an answer to something like this, Knight-mage or not, he can be a little thick-headed. _

That was a fond thought. Kellen was like a close, but sexy, brother to him/her. He had lost his uncertainty that he had in his teens, though Draven didn't know him then, and had gained a self-assurance that came from finding your own path in life, his was the path of the Knight-mage, the rarest of Wildmages that only came at the direst need.

And if a whole host of the Endarkened, Soul Stalkers and possibly Lord Voldemort wasn't cause for direst need, then he didn't know _what_would! Something that Harry and Severus would come to know soon, was the fact that the Endarkened had seduced Voldemort previously with something that he couldn't help but want; _immortality_.

As his greatest fear was Death, then the idea that he could live forever would _definitely _be something that would interest the former Tom Riddle. Before time had gone all crazy, Voldemort had done some searching through some dark, dark, (and old) books. (This was something that Draven and the others had learned through informants and information.)

He had apparently learned more about the Mirrored Veil than Draven had, and had used a spell to open it; directly into the World Without Sun. This place would not hurt such a non-person as Voldemort; he would revel in something like that.

And it happened; the few remaining Endarkened were lost without their Queen Savilla and her son, and lover, Prince Zyperis. They didn't know what to do, so lost that they didn't even war against themselves, or use any of their carefully constructed torture chambers, which gave them power, from slaves' fear, despair, any kind of black emotion.

They seen Voldemort as something they could rally around, a strong King he would make for them, destroy all those of the Light that had hurt them so terribly, and they in return would let him eat from the Tree of Night and become immortal like them, tougher than any human, elf, dragon, or anything.

He agreed readily, but for one thing; Harry Potter must be taken care of first, and once he finally disposed of the brat, then he could return and take his 'rightful' place on the throne in Obsidian Mountain.

Only it didn't go that way, for Harry killed Voldemort and the Endarkened were in despair again, but the Soul Stalkers found their way to the Endarkened, and the Endarkened, the Demons, took the guise of human form to fool onlookers, making it seem like it was nothing at all to do, for it truly was nothing for them.

Many of the Endarkened joined the Soul Stalkers, while many stayed in Obsidian Mountain to gather forces, gather power, and to protect the stronghold while they searched for ways to resurrect Lord Voldemort, for they could not feed the dead from the tree of night, and they could no longer find his body either, so they must find other ways of resurrection.

That was the situation now that Draven and everyone else had to deal with. Before time had changed suddenly, they had found out about what Draven had did, how she had resurrected Sirius and Albus, and outright attacked Sentarshadeen, those who could get through anyway, the only ones of the evil ones who could were the human wizard and witch Soul Stalkers, which the wards on the elven lands did not recognize.

He shakes his head from these thought, and looks at Jermayan, who was waiting patiently for him to finish up his thoughts. If the elves were one thing; it was patient.

_Jermayan? _He asks him mentally. _Have the wards been altered since I have been away? Since…_He looks at Harry and Severus briefly who were talking quietly to each other. _Since **we **have been away? _

Jermayan looked surprised at the touch of mental speak, though they had talked that way before. Draven doubted that Severus or Harry would recognize the surprise; they would probably just see the bland neutrality of the elven mage's face, but Draven had all of his memories, unlike them, and knew what to look for. Partly because he was familiar with this man in particular.

_Yes of course. _Jermayan said with certainty. He of course was familiar with mentally speaking, not just from speaking with Draven, but from his own bond to the dragon, Ancaladar.

Oh, yes, dragons here were definitely not like those from the wizarding world…

…for that matter, neither were the unicorns. (Or much else for that matter.)

Draven turns to Harry and Severus briefly. "Let's go," he tells them, and walks forward into the city.

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Kellen stops in the middle of watering a small plant in front of the door, a habit he had taken up from Morusil, the elder elf who was one of his mentors. He had the sudden feeling that something was happening. He automatically switches to battle-sight, second nature now, and sees nothing amiss, going back to normal, but still…something felt…_different. _

Maybe it was due to Jermayan leaving and patrolling all on his own? No, that wasn't it. The elf was older than Kellen's grandfather's time and had certainly been training longer and could take care of himself, even _if _Ancaladar wasn't that close at hand.

So, no. That meant that it was something else. It felt…_familiar. _

There was something on the tip of his tongue, but he knew that it couldn't be what he thought. Two of them were dead, and the other…the other had been sent away…

He puts his watering can down as he hears a crowd of elves ahead, murmuring excitedly amongst themselves, crowding around something. He heads towards the crowd, and knew that something big was going to happen.

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A/N: Guh… Xx. 17 pages, over 8000 words. I can't believe how much I managed to write in a day! I went from having this chapter up to about 2100 words to getting it up to over _8000 _words in a few hours in the same day! Wow.

Don't know where the inspiration came from but…well, maybe I do a little. Reading Coalescence by Yami Czarina really helped, as did listening to the radio. Though don't mistake what I mean when I say reading the fanfic, because although it helped me get inspiration, it wasn't because of the story itself, I mean…grr!

What I mean is that it inspired me to write, but I did not take anything from the story itself. No, it just made me happy to write. And how awesome is Yami Czarina? She even got me to like Yugi/Jounouchi of all things. I'm going to look for some new chapters! Hopefully she got past chapter 60 already… Her story is one of the longest I can remember, the only thing I can think of that's longer are two stories; Madame Hardy's Riddick/Jack story entitled The Sound and the Furyan, which is over 70 chapters.

As well as the story Death Eater takes a Holiday, which was over 100 chapters as far as I remember, and a Snarry as well! A good all around story, which I'd like to be able to find again, if possible.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Read and REVIEW!!!! (I can't help being a review whore, I have review-whore syndrome, I must get reviews! xD)

Ja Ne!

(Also; look for the new chapter soon enough. I am finally able to get into the crossover-ness! I have NEVER seen a Harry Potter/Obsidian Trilogy crossover before, like I said. So I am the first! Woot! But anyways, I MIGHT be writing another couple one shots soon, according to how I start writing the next chapter of this story.

If I DO write some one shots soon look for them to be from; Fruits Basket, Inuyasha, LOST, maybe Harry Potter, maybe Sailor Moon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel the series, Heroes, Supernatural, Smallville, Cirque du Freak, Eragon/Eldest…I have a few interests. Mostly of the slashy persuasion, but…le gasp!, I might actually write some het! (That's strange, at least for me. I am picky all around about what I write, what I read in fanfic, etc.)

Oh! And probably some Yu-Gi-Oh! as well. And a couple of them might not be all one shots…it all depends on the outcome and answer which I put to a couple of authoresses of one very, very, very, very, super great, super special awesome, wonderful, lovely, smutty, has plot!, story…

If I am lucky enough, then I MIGHT be able to finish off Solitaire and Xpine's, supremely awesome super special awesome deluxe of greatness, story Return of the Demon. So look out for it!...Maybe. Hopefully, anyway… ;;;;)


	16. Beginning of a new start

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series and the Obsidian Trilogy are owned by J.K Rowling, and Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, respectively. I only own this story, my own ideas to each of the books, and make no profit from this.

Warning: M for sexual content, language, violence, slash, het, etc.

Set: Over a week after Deathly Hallows, and sixteen years after the end of When Darkness Falls.

Feedback: Yes, lots! Constructive criticism rather than flames, please.

Archive/Talk: Email me at my sbyamibakura account at yahoo, or my livejournal account PhoenixJustice or my myspace account MirroredVeil. I am very agreeable, plus you can ask me questions about my story, or upcoming ones, or anything really.

Pairings: HP/SS, DC/?, RW/HG, FW/GW, BW/FD, MW/AW, DM/?, AD/MM, KK/V/S, I/J/A, CV/?, etc.

Website of the day: http://elise509. of the day (that isn't Snarry): Mick/Beth. (Moonlight)

TV of the day: Moonlight.

Book of the day: Cirque du Freak: Allies of the Night, HP and the DH.

Fanfic of the day: Critical Choices by lillyseyes, Coalescence by Yami Czarina.

A/N: I have seen the new ep of the new season of Supernatural, mmm…Wincest. . That show is so slashy, I swear…

And…guh. x.X The last chapter was a little over 8,000 words! I was in such a writing frenzy. After having a little over 2,100 words of chapter 15 done, I started writing and kept writing until it was a little over 8,000! Within the span of a few hours, counting things that had to be done in the house.

AND!!! Moonlight is like the greatest show ever! I haven't been this excited about a new show in a long time, and it even has a het pairing (Mick/Beth) that I 3!! And I so want to write some Moonlight fanfic…anyway…

(And why am I suddenly all hot for Nathan Petrelli?!)

Read and REVIEW!!!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN-

Truths Revealed, Remembered—The Beginning of a new start

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Their arrival had sparked the curiosity of the elves, for the elves loved to gossip. Though the elves did not usually show such enthusiasm as they did, being people who were very refined and spoke in the politest of tones.

But the arrival of, who they knew now to be Draven (though Draven had been changed since they last saw her, now him.), and Severus and Harry, had excited them. Though everyone seemed to remember their places, for Draven had Severus and Harry walk forward, without acknowledging anyone.

If you chose not to 'See' someone that meant that you would be left with privacy, and did not have to answer back. Draven couldn't let anyone talk to them yet, because he could not afford for things to be given away before he could tell them the truth; his price the Wild Magic asked for being able to get them through the Mirrored Veil.

He then thought about it though, the elves knew that Severus and Harry had both died, some had been around at the time, and word spread fast within the Elven capital, and they would probably think that Draven had somehow managed to resurrect them, (as they knew about Sirius and Albus) and indeed had.

He stops abruptly and glances at Severus and Harry who were looking around the city, and the elves, with a look of awe and wonder that he could quite clearly see.

_If you would be silent for just a moment so I may speak to my friends, I would very much appreciate it. For once I speak; I know word will get around like it needs to._

From the startled look in the Potions Master and the Golden Boy's eyes, he knew that they had heard him in their minds. An especially good feat considering how well a Legilimens Severus was. (Or not so good since Harry was terrible at it; however you wanted to look at it.)

He waits for a moment for their reactions, and almost let out a sigh of relief at their nods. The wooded area was quiet other than the sounds of running water and the sounds of birds and insects, all seeming to harmonize with one another.

He turns to look at the elves who were still near, getting himself into the more formal manner which he knew he must speak, and truth be told, _liked _to speak.

"I See you," he says, gesturing around all of them, letting them know that he was addressing them all, also so he could address them easier, as it would take longer to address them all by name. "One would observe that the weather is fair and beautiful, unlike in ways to another forest on the Other side, perhaps. One would also observe that things must be said to people if things are to go about in a perhaps less confusing manner for the parties involved. One would also wonder if the word of three new people arriving through the city with an Elven Mage would get through to perhaps the King of said city."

He turns around at that and starts to walk, Severus keeping stride easily with Draven as he had longer legs, with Harry jogging for a moment to keep up with the two before catching on.

"What was that?" Harry asks, looking at Draven, then at Severus, perhaps wondering if Severus knew something that Harry didn't, or that Severus somehow managed to decipher that confusing speak. The latter seemed more probable, as Severus didn't seem to have any information on the situation either.

"I mean…what did you say?"

Severus lets out a short bark of laughter. "What's the matter, Potter? Is the thought of so many intellectual minds burning a hole in that Quidditch-addled mind of yours?"

"I think about more than Quidditch!" Harry said, stung.

"Hmm, let me see…yes," said Severus, smirking. Draven said nothing, but seemed to be holding back a grin, rolling his eyes as they walked, Jermayan having left off in his own direction as soon as they starting walking again, leaving quietly.

"The thought pattern of one Harry James Potter…sex, sex, Quidditch, sex, Quidditch, food, sex, Quidditch, sex, drink, sex, Quidditch—"

"I think you forgot to add more 'sex' to that equation, Severus." Draven said, unable to hold back a grin anymore.

Harry rolls his eyes. "Thanks a lot you two." He says sarcastically.

"Oh, but back to your question before we unmercifully teased you, Harry...I said this; It feels so great to be back home, better than the dark place I had been. Also that I needed to speak to you alone before anyone said anything to give you guys a clue," Draven says. "And to let the King know that we were here, for we will surely be summoned later."

_Plus it will give me the opportunity to be able to see all my friends and family. _He thought to himself. Kellen, Idalia, Jermayan, Shalkan, Vestakia, Ancaladar…they had all become family to him, back when he was his female self. And hopefully in the House of Leaf and Star, he would be able to get this spell reversed, for he missed being what he had been before.

"And just why did you not want any of them to let us know anything so soon?" Severus asks, shrewdly. The man picked up on things quite well. And he walked very well too, maneuvering around a log that was ready to be cut, with ease.

Draven lets out a breath. "When I used the Wild Magic to let us get through the Mirrored Veil, there was a price. As there always is, though it always differs." Draven says. "I told you about this before the Mirrored Veil opened didn't I?" Harry and Severus nod. "Well my price for getting us through to here, is to give you all the truth—in its complete form."

It was silent for a moment, then; "And if you didn't have the price of having to tell us?" Harry asks. "What then? Would you still try to leave us in the dark?"

Damn, Harry picked up on things too. But, there was an answer to Harry's question, and Draven would be truthful.

"It was something in the beginning, when I…first came across you back in Hogwarts that I did not wish to talk about, the memories being too strong for me." He says. "But I have come to an answer within myself that I must give you all what information you are missing. If I didn't have the price to pay like I do now, I would still have done the same thing. You deserve the right to know."

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By the time Kellen manages to get over to the crowd, the apparent reason for all the noise was gone. He couldn't just go out and ask directly, _but _he had been living with the elves long enough to know how to talk to one.

"The weather seems fine and calm for a day such as this one. One observes that perhaps there were more people in the city than before." He says, arms crossed behind his back, fingering the bottom of his green tunic slightly. "One wonders whether or not if there had been people who had come through, then perhaps if people happened upon them as they walked through and Seen them, then perhaps one could get an understanding of another kind."

It was silent for a moment, though he was pretty sure that he phrased it well enough, not wanting to offend such beautiful people. Finally, one of the elves comes forward and he could tell it was a male. It was sometimes hard for people who looked at elves to see if they were male or female, as they could be pretty androgynous sometimes. But, Kellen had practice at seeing many things that other people couldn't; his skills as a Knight-Mage made it so.

The elf, Namaire, regards Kellen solemnly.

"I See you, Kellen Knight-mage," said Namaire, softly, inclining his head slightly.

"I See you, Namaire," said Kellen, bowing slightly. "One sees that the weather is looking finer than it has in seasons past, and seems to be staying that way for a time."

Namaire nods and they get into a discussion of the weather, quite shorter than the usual time. Elves could go on and on about the weather for a long time, and so for to only talk about the weather for a couple of minutes, was indeed a surprising thing.

But, it seemed that Namaire sensed the urgency in Kellen, and forgave him for it. As humans were much more 'hasty' people than elves were, due in part to the fact that Elves lived for _centuries_, while humans only lived for a few decades.

Namaire looks off in the opposite direction that Kellen came from.

"One would observe that three young men have walked through the city, perhaps to take in the sights and sounds of Sentarshadeen's beauty and wonder," said Namaire, with a small smile on his face. "It is plausible that those who come through the city newly, would perhaps head through in this direction," The direction he was looking at. "As the flowers grow very prettily and offers much to new travelers upon the road."

So they were heading towards the guest houses then…that was the information that Kellen needed. He bows to the elf and murmurs thanks, heading off in that direction he had been shown. Guest houses were just what they sounded like, except for the fact that people could also take residence in them, if they so chose.

So if these people were all good, and he didn't feel any reason why they weren't, then if Andoreniel, King of Sentarshadeen (and of all the elves in all the elven cities), thought it to be fine, then they could take that house for their own.

Kellen just had the feeling that it was someone he knew. He felt quite a strong feeling of familiarity. He just wondered who it could be. Or what was going on. It felt like something big was happening, other than what was already happening, and more surprises were on the horizon.

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A/N: Slightly short chapter, but I figured this was a good place to leave off. Especially since it was in Kellen's POV, and he is one of my favorite characters. But this is still over 2200 words and the last chapter I think more than makes up for this chapter's length! Plus, new chapters are coming and should be longer. I think I do good considering how frequently I post new fic, including two or three one shots of stuff also!

And! I may be working on ROTD, if Solitaire and Xpine say that I can, so that will take up my time as well, along with Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil.

Though I must say that when I started this fic, I didn't expect it to go in this direction at all. I only seen the Snarry, and the fact that I had to write the story down while the ideas were fresh in my mind, having just finished Deathly Hallows. I had to write something that involved Severus coming back into the picture, one way or another.

The story just kind of took off and grew into something else entirely. But I am happy with that. I think I can say that I did the very first crossover that no one else has before.

Yay me! p

Read and REVIEW!!


	17. Truth Part I

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one and sixteen.

TV of the day: Heroes, Smallville, Supernatural, Moonlight.

Video Game of the day: Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IV.

Book of the day: The Outstretched Shadow, HP and the Deathly Hallows, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Fanfic of the day: Better Living Through Alchemy by skydark. (skydark at livejournal).

Author of the day: Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, J.K Rowling, J.R.R Tolkien.

Bishie (Bishies) of the day: Spike and Angel from BTVS/AtS, Peter and Nathan Petrelli from Heroes, Sawyer, Sayid, and Jack from LOST, Mick St. John from Moonlight, Roy Mustang, Edward Elric, and Scar from Full Metal Alchemist, Oliver Queen (the Green Arrow), and Clark Kent from Smallville.

Summary: Finally the truth comes out! But is it something that Harry and Severus can handle? And the others on the Other side, in the Wizarding world, try and find some answers of their own, and look to Albus Dumbledore for them.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN-

Truth, Part I

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It was now quiet as they walked through the city, through what Draven said were the 'guest houses'. Places that were uninhabited until someone came to live, and took one for their own. They all looked very beautiful and blended with the scenery perfectly, making one wonder which the real part of nature was and which wasn't.

You could obviously tell they were houses, but they were crafted with such skill that it made it go with its surroundings to a t. And it looked as though Draven couldn't be happier; at least from what Harry could tell.

Usually, from the time that he has seen and known Draven, he could not see the emotions very well upon the face of the young man, except perhaps in the very beginning.

But this time was different. It was something he could tell from the moment that they crossed the threshold of the Mirrored Veil into this other side of the world; Draven felt as though he was home.

And perhaps he was.

Harry was unsure of where they were going exactly, or what would be said. He was unsure of a few things this last little while, even before Draven made his appearance or Severus got revived, or even a few years back.

It felt like things were out of his control, which something was just out of his reach, beyond his capacity, like something had been taken out of his hands and he couldn't quite reach out and grab it.

Things in his life pretty much felt out of control his whole life, especially the moments when he knew that Voldemort was after him, and when he learned of the prophecy and knew that it would come down to him and Voldemort eventually, that one of them would have to kill the other, that someday he would have to face down the most feared Dark wizard of all time.

Alone.

But still…if he really thought about it…it felt as though something important was missing. Like an important memory, though he was pretty sure that a Memory charm wasn't used on him. Not that he would remember if it happened!, but…still.

And if there _were _a Memory charm on him, then he could just use the elder wand and unblock it.

He gathers his thoughts together as they come to a halt in front of a guest house, with Draven still in front, seeming to be looking for something, a signal, or something. He then notices an elf walking past them, who stops and looks at Draven.

It was quiet for a moment, but there seemed to be some silent communication of some sort going, because one minute there was no sound; no speaking. And in the next there was a slight tilt of the head from the elf and a nod from Draven.

Harry looks to Severus, wondering just how much information the older man got out of that. A lot probably, knowing Severus Snape as well as he did, which was getting more and more as time went on, seeming to be as easy as anything that he ever did.

But when Harry looked at Severus, he saw the same confusion in the man's black eyes, which he himself had felt.

Draven bows slightly to the elf and the elf walks away, graceful in step, as Draven turns to look at them. He smiles slightly at them, unconsciously biting his lower lip slightly, before stopping and speaking to them.

"Well, I talked with Sonyaen," said Draven, putting his hands behind his back and holding them. "And she said that this house would be perfectly suitable for what we're doing, not to mention the fact that…"

He stops for a moment, but he takes a breath and looks at them. The wind blew ever so slightly, blowing their hair every which way, feeling nice against the skin as it went around them, invisible but as real as any of them.

"I may have this house, if I so choose," said Draven. "The same goes for you two; should you want one of your own. The latter of course is in the case that we cannot get the Mirrored Veil opened soon enough, but it is still good to be prepared, in any case."

He opens the door and starts to walk in. Harry starts to follow but Draven turns his head and shakes it at him, leaving Harry a bit more confused than he had been a moment earlier. Severus' brows furrow in seemingly deep thought, which was very likely, considering who it was.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Draven said, contritely. "But I must enter the house first and then offer you home and hearth, after we all have greeted one another, like you've seen me do earlier. It's an elven tradition."

"Although none of us are elven, I like to go by the tradition; I have been for awhile now." He said. "It is something that is entirely familiar and always new in ways to me. And it's something that I have come to believe in quite strongly. So I would appreciate it very much if you would go along with this, and expect much more formal speech to come later on when we see other elves."

Harry nods, as does Severus, but Severus speaks up. "You must have conversed mentally with that elven woman, so what was said, if I may ask?"

"Just greetings," Draven said. "And I asked about a good guest house. Elves don't have big magicks like we do, or other creatures do, etc. They have small magicks."

"But…Jermayan—" started Harry.

"—is an exception to the rule. They all once had magic but that was over 1000 years ago."

"A thousand years ago…" Severus mutters.

Draven shakes his head. "Anyways…"

He walks to the door, looking towards the two wizards. They walk up to the door and it immediately opens up wide, Draven smiling at them, the same as he had but a moment ago.

"I See you, Harry Potter, vanquisher of Voldemort," said Draven, formally. "I See you, Severus Snape, instigator in the downfall of Voldemort."

"I See you, Draven Wildmage," murmured Severus, obviously remembering what Jermayan had said a short while ago. "Resurrector of many and man of many secrets." Was that a smirk on both of their faces?

"I See you, Draven Wildmage," said Harry, repeating what he heard, but trying to put in as formal a way as he had heard it, and succeeding pretty well.

"I welcome you to home and hearth, by the grace of Leaf and Star." said Draven, bowing slightly, the other two doing the same, though Severus did his more gracefully, not that Harry expected anything less.

They walk forward.

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"What are you saying, Albus?" asked Sirius, looking shocked. "You can't be serious about this!"

"I'm quite serious, my boy," said Albus, calmly. He looked quite serene, hands crossed over his lap, looking at all of them all the while.

They were all sitting in a study, its many armchairs forming a sort of circle around the fairly large fireplace, which was roaring with heat. The carpet covered the entire room; its outsides were silver and gold, and beheld a most unusual picture on it;

Intertwined were a snake and a lion. Not quite so unusual considering they were the mascots for Slytherin and Gryffindor, though it was a tad unusual to see them together, without the additions of the badger and the eagle.

No, what was unusual was the fact that their coloring was all wrong. Slytherin's snake was red and gold, the color of Gryffindor's colors, while the lion was silver with a green mane and tail.

And it looked like it was done deliberately that way, not by some accident, or misfortune. But, quite deliberately, as the snake was intertwined with the lion, and they both moved restlessly on the carpet, trying to get closer to one another.

Everyone in the room looked quite shaken at Albus' revelation, save for Albus himself. James and Lily were sitting next to one another, with James shaking his head in disbelief, and Lily looking stunned. Remus in the middle of Tonks and Sirius, with Tonks on Remus' left, and Sirius on his right. Fred and George looked pale beneath their freckles, and even Mad-Eye looked very surprised.

Remus looked shaken, while Tonks was in disbelief. Sirius was the most shook by this revelation; he seemed both sure and completely shaken down to his most inner core.

"You cannot be serious, Albus!" repeated Sirius, shaking his head. He looked younger than he was (not counting the transformation that occurred at his resurrection) while he looked so confounded.

"Time being changed that way? There is just no way! Not even if you had a thousand time-turners, could you pull something like that off. The closest thing we have to altering time is time-turners, but even they don't do things like that! That is a magic that we do not have!"

"Ah, yes, this is true," said Albus, softly. "But there is the fact that there are other beings that have magic that we do not. That has been demonstrated by young Draven Cirle, who has shown but a glimpse of magic that is beyond all we know, that is part of the world that we have not been in, save for these last few years, thanks to Draven, Severus, and Harry."

"But of course, I mean the years that actually occurred, and not these which we are living in now."

"If that really _were _true…"started Remus, quietly. Everyone turns to look at him. He gazes at the fire, his eyes distant, as if perhaps trying to see into the life that he once had. "Then we have more important things to do than argue about what happened, different magicks, and the like. If these Endarkened are truly trying to gain hold, and are trying to help resurrect Voldemort so he can become their king and immortal…then we must focus on that."

"Remus is right," said Lily, offering support to one of her oldest and dearest friends.

"I know," said Sirius, glancing at Remus helplessly. "But…"

"Sirius, you weren't there," said Fred, suddenly. "You didn't see that magic. It was more than I have ever seen, and that was just for _one _spell, and one that Draven was doing alone. Imagine what other kinds there are!"

"That's not what I'm saying!" said Sirius, angrily, standing up from his armchair, and starting to pace. "I'm just saying that…if time were to have truly changed…wouldn't we know it? Wouldn't _I _know it? Are there truly worse creatures out there than Voldemort? Who can work spells like this?"

"I wouldn't say worse, as Voldemort has proven himself to be evil without any remorse or any worthwhile human emotion, but yeah…it's not that much of a stretch to believe that something like this could have happened." James said with an ironic smirk upon his face.

"After all...look at us! We were all resurrected from beyond! And apparently this wasn't the first time for some of us," He says.

Which was true. Albus had told them that the only people who were actually resurrected were him and Sirius; Severus had never died. Well, James and Lily had still died, but Draven had been unsuccessful in attempting it the first time, sometime during her, Harry, Ron, and Hermione's sixth year, having told no one other than Severus and himself, (as far as he knew of anyway).

"We need to focus on the now," said Tonks, her hair a mix of her usual bubblegum pink, brown, and black. "Not on what was, or what can possibly be fixed, if we want it to be fixed. The main threat is these Soul Stalkers, and especially the Endarkened. I say we head back to the location of where the Mirrored Veil, and use our combined efforts to open it."

There was a murmur of agreement, though everyone was still looking unsure about things.

"Maybe a few of us could try and get through to them by another course of action?" The voice came from Hermione, who was standing in the doorway with Ron, who looked a bit pale. "Perhaps try a scrying spell of some sort. There has to be a spell that is strong enough to pass through the Mirrored Veil." She turns to look at Albus.

"I heard you say that the Mirrored Veil had been opened more than once; first by accident by Draven, the second time by the combined efforts of people over here, and over there, something having been holding the Mirrored Veil from opening like it had before, the Endarkened maybe? But how did you all know to synchronize your magicks? There had to have been a way that you all contacted each other, before you opened the Mirrored Veil in a way that you all…that…_all of us?, _could pass through it at need."

Albus looked impressed, sitting a little more straight than he had a moment ago. The lion on the rug starts to purr and he looks down and sees a glimpse of two men with black hair on the carpet before turning back to the lion and snake, with their mismatched colors, again.

"Yes, well there _is _such a spell. One that all of us, save for Lily and James," He tilts his head in their direction for a moment. "have learned. In fact, I think I can teach it to all of you once mor—"

"Wait," said Remus, suddenly, turning his gaze away from the dying fire in the grate. "You never did say how you also remember the time before, like Draven can. Draven, I can understand. As he was pushed out of the Mirrored Veil as the spell had taken place, but…"

Albus puts a hand up. "Yes, well. We didn't expect the time to alter…then at least. And not to that magnitude. But, a Wildmage named Idalia had scryed on the Endarkened, with the aid of Draven to boost up the magic, and Idalia sees a time-turner. It wasn't something she knew of, but Draven also sees it and understands." said Albus. "Another thing is the fact that things don't always come to pass as they are seen when scryed. Sometimes that is just an interpretation of what is to come, or how things can be changed."

"From the looks of it, it also looked as though it was far off. What wasn't known right then was the fact that the Endarkened had learned of the scrying, and had made Idalia and Draven see what they wanted to see, a powerful magic to alter something just so, but they managed. Draven came to me for advice, confiding in me what was going on. And then tells me weeks later of nonstop dreams she had been having; seeing (the Endarkened), and having the suspicion that something was going to happen; and soon."

"It was only a matter of time before they really went looking for her, hoping to use her power of resurrection to bring back Lord Voldemort. They didn't know that she had been unable to do so again right after using that power after bringing back Sirius, not knowing that Severus had never actually been brought back."

He takes in a breath, seeing that every one of them held onto his every word, Ron and Hermione having taken the remaining two chairs.

"_They _came through the Elven Borders, aided by the Soul Stalkers who had no such restrictions, though they are undoubtedly evil also. And _they _found Draven. Harry…Harry died first, protecting to his last breath, as did Severus. Before _they _could get _their _hands on Draven, she got hit by a stray spell and gets sent through the Mirrored Veil, though I am not sure how she went through when it was closed, as she surely didn't have the time to open it. My guess is that it opened up itself, to pull her through and keep her from harm. As this happens, the spell that rips up time happens and Draven goes through the Mirrored Veil to find that many things had changed, and time had been altered."

"As to how _I _kept my memories…well. When I learned of her dreams, I did a spell with Draven, a wizarding one, a very old one in fact. It was originally supposed to be used to protect from such things as a strong Memory charm, but it would be perfect for this situation. Because, in altering time to such an extent, memories would _definitely _be altered, and so when the time altering spell occurred, the spell I had readied, goes off. It kept me from losing my memory of the time before. I had offered the same spell to Draven, but she declined the offer at first, saying she felt as if there were a little more time, and we were both very drained from doing the spell to begin with."

"Though I must say that I did not like suddenly going from doing my crossword in the _Daily Prophet_, to being in a tomb, but…que sera sera."

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Draven takes in a deep breath, letting out slowly, and then turning to look at them as they sit on the sofa and he takes one of the chairs, both like and unlike the armchairs that were in Severus' rooms. There was a fireplace in the middle of the room on the right, from Draven's point of view. The door to the outside was on their left, with Severus and Harry on a couch directly across from Draven, a large red rug with gold trimmings covered the floor. On the wall behind Severus and Harry was a wall full of books, with two tall lanterns on either side of the sofa, as well as a table in the middle of the room, large and wooden and decorated in the most simple style of elven fashion, which was still more than most people could even come close to within their lifetime.

There was a table in the middle of the two armchairs; Draven sat in the left one. There was also a gold bench with a golden cushion, silver legs in front of the fireplace. Next to the bench was a small table.

Behind Draven was the kitchen area, and a small hallway on the right, next to the fireplace, led to three doors, one a bathroom, and two a bedroom (presumably.)

He looks at Severus and Harry. Harry looked the most anxious, ready for the truth to come out. And it made Draven wonder. Could time go back to how it was? And if it did? What would he do then? Would things go back to the way they were? Stay the same? For even _if _by some chance, time went back to the way things were (which he very seriously doubted), they would still have their memories of _this _time.

Draven felt like that he no longer wanted what he once had with them. Well…he kind of did. Because the truth of the matter was that although he _did _love them, it was different. He realized that now. It was a matter of being with friends, who you felt close to, body and soul, not soulmates per se, but another kind of closeness. A spiritual connection that you felt to them, wanting to be best friends, and be as close to them as possible. But still not…_together._

He could definitely see the soulmate bond within Harry and Severus both, and it made him happy, though at the same time it made him long for someone of his own to be close with. He wanted what they had together, and he wanted to be able to stay close to them. Part of the reason of the closeness they all once had, he knew, was for comfort and for closeness.

He wasn't sure if he could ever explain it to anyone clearly, but he was willing to try, should they ask him more about it. They were his friends, some of his closest ones that was what it all came down to, and it was more than a 'friends with benefits' type deal, if anyone chose to think of it in that stupid manner.

It all came down to being close to your friends, to loving them so much, being there for one another. Sometimes when no one else was, other than each other. He had some of the best times with them, lying in bed, talking sometimes for hours about things.

About the world, about each other, about all kinds of new things. It was some of the best experiences of his life, _her _life, and he wanted to have that again. He wanted his best friends back; he wanted to have that companionship again. Just as much as he wanted to find a love all on his own, her own, and be with someone so completely that sometimes you didn't know where you began and they ended. He wanted an all encompassing love.

"It all starts with my teachers. The elder one, and his protégé, who learned many things from this man, starting from his first year, but most especially during his sixth year, when he received a potions book and found it written in by a person called the Half-Blood Prince."

Harry's eyes widen and Severus takes in a breath, shaking his head slightly.

"It all starts with my meeting Severus Snape, and his pupil, who comes to be his lover, Harry Potter…"

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A/N: Well! I didn't expect Albus to hog so much screen time! xD Oh, well. At least Harry and Severus are finding out. Cause everyone else seems to know! Lol. Anyway, look for chapter eighteen soon. Eighteen! Can you believe it?

This is the farthest I have gone on any of my fic; _ever_. I am working hard. And I have written a lot of fic, but previously have found it unable to continue on just one thing, because I had so many ideas.

Well, I still have lots of ideas, but now I can work on one story the most though!

I do have some one shots planned though, I've always wanted to have a broad scope in fanfic, even if most are just one shots. And I am very happy to the response to my FMA one shot, Damn You, My Love. It was something that came out of nowhere, I was just sitting at my computer, and I suddenly start writing and it was all just coming out. I think skydark influenced me greatly; her Roy/Ed fanfic series really has done a number on me, and all FMA fans, and Roy/Ed fans, out there.

Her first story in her Roy/Ed series is The Adventures of Roy Mustang: Sex Ed Teacher. And though the title to TARM: SET (which is how most of us say it) sounds rather smutty, and there is smut, it is so much more, and that is what makes it so absolutely wonderful. _Any _FMA fan, any Roy/Ed fan, or any yaoi fan out there needs to go out and read it and the sequels to this story as well. It offers such a depth of character which is amazing, and I absolutely fell head over heels in love with it, and skydark as a writer.

The sequel to TARM: SET is Better Living Through Alchemy, or BLTA as we call it. It to offers a depth of character, and not just to the two main characters either, it shows many other characters and in a new light, showing the parts which they could be, making it feel as though this series was the true canon and the anime was the fanfic, of sorts.

The new story in the series is True Story, and it deals with the gang older, and it shows so much heart, I just BLOVE it! It also shows Charles Elric, son of Alphonse and Riza (skydark is the one who got me to like Al/Riza, though I only read it as a side pairing. Roy/Ed is my FMA OTP. With Snarry being my ultimate OTP.) and it also shows a pair of Xingian twins, sons to Prince Ling of Xing (who showed up in BLTA, and is actually from the manga.) Which is another thing, with BLTA skydark adds elements of the manga so smoothly to the anime whole and does it so flawlessly that you think that this is how it all went on.

Anyway…I am so babbling…oh well, look for the new chapter!

Read and REVIEW!!!

Ja Ne!


	18. Truth Part II

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one and chapter sixteen.

Warning: SMEX ALERT!

Summary: Truth; but is it something that Severus and Harry can handle? On the Other side, plans get made in Hogwarts, about what should be done with the Mirrored Veil situation. Draven hopes to get the spell on him reversed, to revert him back to his former _female _self. A little smut is on the way also! Not to mention someone running into someone familiar—and seeing something that wasn't there the first time.

A/N: Onto chapter eighteen already. (And skydark updated her livejournal account and posted chapter two of True Story!!)

Eighteen chapters…wow. This story has created a life of its own, and I couldn't be happier, and with this chapter, the answers will be more solved then they have been, so people will perhaps feel better about all the secrets, though I think Albus said enough on his own! ;;;

I can't wait to keep going on my idea for this. To see how many people have supported me; to see how many people who make this story their favorite story, and me their favorite author…it is overwhelming, and I am so very happy. I thank you all for your encouragement, and continued support of me and my story. People who don't read/write fanfic, I think, do not understand why writing fanfic is so important.

But fanfic is more than 'just' fanfic. The really good ones pull you ever closer and make you feel a wide range of emotions, or focus on one important emotion. Some of the best fiction out there is fanfiction, not just the regular fiction that we all go out and read. That is why I think that I as a fanfic author contribute to the whole of the writing community; fanfic or non fanfic, alike.

Anyway, I'm babbling. p Onward with the chapter! (And the pr0n.)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN-

Truth, Part II

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They looked at him, not saying a single word. They both looked like that they had lost the ability to speak. And he didn't really blame them.

He had told them everything, _everything _that he could remember from the time that Severus Snape showed up with Albus Dumbledore at _her_ doorstep And everything that he couldn't remember, he conjured up a pensieve and allowed them to take a look at all the memories, also letting him see things at the time that he could not from his own point of view.

It felt good to get it all out. He gave and gave and gave until there was nothing more to give and there was nothing but silence. He was actually grateful for the silence; he didn't want to have to answer a barrage of answers immediately, like he thought would be coming. But there was nothing.

He wasn't sure just who would speak first. Or what they would say when they did. He stands up from his chair, seeing Harry glance up at him startled, Severus still dwelling deep into his own thoughts, barely giving Draven a glance.

"I'm going to go, give you all time to think about all of this," said Draven. "Be welcome in home and hearth."

With that, he gives them a short bow, and walks out the door, closing it softly behind him.

Harry turns to look at Severus, who was still looking away. He seemed quite distant for a moment, until Harry looks deep into his eyes, and sees a deep feeling of…that almost seemed like despair in them.

"Severus…"

The older man looks up at Harry, and moves his hand to caress the side of Harry's face.

"How could I not remember you? All that time we had together? How could I let anyone tear you and I apart, Harry?" Severus asks, incredulously. "I should have done everything in my power…"

"You did, Severus," Harry said, gently. He closes his eyes briefly against Severus' caress, before opening them to look at his Bond-mate. "We didn't have much notice. And anyway…we—we can't wish for what we don't have, or may not ever get back. And…I'm glad of this time we've had together. Maybe this is a new start for us, maybe we're not meant to go back to the way things were. I just…got that feeling. I think that all we can do is to move on and to move forward with our lives. You don't want to dwell on things we can't have, do you?"

Severus shakes his head, and smiles softly, leaning in to kiss Harry, moving his hand to wrap around Harry's neck and pull him close. Harry moves closer to him and kisses him back immediately, reveling in the touch of his lover. It was more than just sexual though, it was a means to comfort one another.

Harry could feel the sadness and despair in his soul-Bonded's heart and he didn't want him to feel that way. He wraps his arms around Severus' waist and holds him close. They pull apart for a moment, taking in breaths, gaining comfort from one another's arms.

Harry felt sadness as well, but he knew, all too well, that you couldn't let it bring you down, because if you did, then you wouldn't be able to get back up again.

Severus rests his head on Harry's shoulder and kisses him once on the neck. This was a man whom many seen just as a coldhearted bastard who didn't care about anyone, or anything, other than himself. But Harry had had time to see Severus as a person, the true side of him, that even his closest allies, had not seen. And apparently he had seen this side once before, though somehow through a dark, and messed up spell, time had altered on the side of the world that they came from.

At least the wizarding world, anyway, the Muggle world seemed to be quite the same, then again, most things were kept from them, and the spell might have only affected the magical part of the world. And as for this side, well, this side was unaffected by the effects of the spell. Everyone remembered everything exactly as it happened, though it had only been a few days for these folks.

It didn't seem like it to Harry, then again, he had to relive his life all over again, and to go through some of it differently, such as dating Ginny for awhile, as well as not getting together with Severus sooner, and everything else.

But he supposed that everything probably wouldn't have happened in the way that it did before, because it would just draw to the same conclusion again. That was probably why that they would not get time back the way that it used to be. They might just have to move on, and truth be told, it might be best to leave time alone.

Messing with time was a tricky business, and it had already been messed through thoroughly.

He grabs onto his Bonded's face and looks at him. Not the most handsome, in the usual sense, Harry knew that, but he loved him and he loved looking at him. Such a beautiful, fractured soul and maybe Harry was there to fill in all the gaps.

"I love you," he whispers to Severus, who tightens his grip on him.

He didn't have to say anything; Harry already knew his answer.

He kisses him.

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The clothes fly off in a quick succession, and Harry gasps as Severus kisses every bare inch of skin that he encountered. He finds himself quickly growing hard, and wanting nothing more than the feel of his Bond-mate against him, inside him.

They both fall onto the floor, in a hurried frenzy. Harry falls onto his back and gasps as he feels Severus' naked skin against his, feeling as if it was burning his very being.

He kisses Severus, playing war with Severus' tongue, grabbing onto his skinny hips and pulling him closer, moving his legs apart, his cock feeling harder than ever and begging for release.

Severus gasps, pulling his mouth away for a moment.

"Harry, we don't have any—"

"I know," he says, "I don't care. Please, please, please—"

He gasps as Severus thrusts himself inside. The walls around their minds seemed to crumble in that moment and they both gasp. Harry moves his legs farther apart, to sit on either side of Severus' hips as he thrusts further inside.

The walls go back to the way they were the moment before, and Harry had the vague thought that they had done that so there wouldn't be any pain.

But that was the last thought he had for awhile as Severus thrusts forward again.

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Draven looks at the house with a feeling of elation, mixed with hope, friendship, love and so many other emotions that it was hard to describe them.

The house of Leaf and Star, the house of Andoreniel, the King of the Elves and his wife, and queen, Ashaniel.

He had had many times, good and bad, in this place.

This was the place that gave him hope. As much as the city did.

He takes in a breath and lets it out slowly.

He walks forward.

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He stands for a moment, gazing at the utter beauty that was just the entranceway. The elves, being a very long lived race, took their time in doing things. And in doing so, have perfected the skill of pretty much everything imaginable.

It was said; "Elves have elevated life to a form of art."

And for good reason; everything they did was neat and elegant in its own way, beautiful to look at, and to touch. For although everything looked so perfectly, everything was for use, even if just to accent a sitting room, or to adorn a dining room table.

He walks past, well familiar with (but always in awe over) the surroundings, and comes to a fork in the house and takes the right way.

He walks past portraits (but these didn't move), and many other doors that blended in very well with the surroundings. It was easy for those who didn't know this place to get lost, though it wasn't that big of a house, but the elven architecture allowed the illusion of extra longevity that was due to skill, not magic.

He looks wistfully at the surroundings; this place itself, the House of Leaf and Star, was welcome and warm to every person, but it had become more personable to him, as he himself had lived here once, within these walls.

When they had come through the other side here, him, Severus and Harry, and they had come to Sentarshadeen, they were all welcomed, questioned a bit, but very welcomed. Ashaniel was the one who suggested that he (well, she) 'might like to stay in the House of Leaf and Star, should it please you.'

Draven was well familiar with the way that they spoke already, for he had thought this world to be nothing but a myth, a world cooked up by great writers. They had been great writers; talking about a world which happened to be real. He learned the same thing about the 'Harry Potter' books.

Things could be much realer than the average person would believe. Draven had once been apart of that majority, led in the dark, but not for very long, for he had talents at a early age, even if it was just some psychic ability and being a empath, the kind that could sense emotions from people, not the kind that could feel them.

Having empathic abilities also helped later on, when he, Severus, and Harry had tried to get information from different sources, since the empathic abilities that he had were different than things such as Legilimency or Occulumency. It allowed him to sense the emotions of what the person they were interrogating was feeling, and that helped immensely. Not to mention his own psychic abilities which also differed from Legilimens abilities.

He comes out of reverie and stops before a set of oaken doors, their handles elegantly carved to match the scenery perfectly.

He knocks on the door.

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He lay in the crook of the older man's neck, and smiled dreamily. Wonderful. To be able to be with the person you loved more than anyone else in the world, and to know that they loved you back, and to be with them…it was the most amazing feeling in the world.

Severus never said much, but he didn't have to; Harry knew that he had a problem being able to speak those kind of emotions, (had seen why, through Severus' memories) mainly due to his father, and the time with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. (But Harry knew how Severus felt, he felt it, and he heard Severus say it—mind to mind.) To hear that people were trying to resurrect Lord Voldemort, that must be like a stake through his heart or something like that.

Harry couldn't feel everything Severus felt, some things yes, some of them he was pretty sure because Severus let him, and wanted him to be able to, but a lot of things Severus held back, not a hard thing for him, considering that he was the best Legilimens that he had ever seen. No one else had ever managed to lie so thoroughly to Voldemort, Harry knew.

He looks up at Severus who was looking at him, a tender expression that Harry knew that many had never ever seen. And a look that was just for him.

And now…they would get up, find Draven, and get some more damned answers like they deserved!

…Once he had the strength to move, that is.

TBC…

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DA: Ah! The end of another chapter! Another to be continued, but what can you do? And the next chapter will come soon!

Severus: glares I hate you.

DA: shrug Yeah, yeah, sexy, whatever you say…you'll still be smexy to me.

Harry: I can't believe you did a crossover! That's almost like blasphemy in fanfic if you don't know what you are doing!

DA: I know, I know. But once the idea came to me I just HAD to. Plus, I have NEVER ever seen a HP/Obsidian Trilogy crossover so I'm the first, yay me! Also it's a Post-DH Snarry which is always a plus. Crossovers don't always work, but I HAVE read a few good HP/BTVS crossovers when I was reading fanfic early on.

Or I should say BTVS/HP crossovers, because they came mostly from the BTVS section. And since the main pairing in the crossover was Spuffy (Spike/Buffy which I still 3 though it's still het!) I didn't have to read much of the Harry/Ginny which was all blah. grimaces I tried so hard to get into Harry/Ginny (then Harry/Cho, etc) but it never ever worked.

I did read a couple of Harry/Hermione's, mostly to see what the hype was all about, plus I wanted to read a pairing that had Harry in it. But I became disenchanted, for this pairing I didn't like either. (I later learned to like Snape/Hermione which helped me to like Severus better as a character as a whole, fiction and fanfiction alike.)

But anyway! That's another story for another day—

Ron: She certainly rambles on a lot…

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	19. Changed Circumstances

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A. Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: See chapter one, and chapter sixteen.

Summary: Draven meets with the Queen of Sentarshadeen; Kellen meets up with Idalia, Jermayan and Ancaladar and they come across Shalkan as they get to the House of Leaf and Star; Severus and Harry leave the guest house and get to the House of Leaf and Star with some help from a old elf named Morusil; Ron and Hermione and the others work on the spell that will help them reopen the Mirrored Veil, and then comes a surprising sight. And a final blue light pierces the Wizarding World, but for what purpose?

Pairings: HP/SS, DC/?, RW/HG, FW/GW, AD/?, BW/FD, RL/NT, SB/?, etc.

A/N: mumble Stupid smexyness… I have fallen in love with Paire (okay I already loved Paire) (Not to mention falling in blove with the smexyness which is Sylar), Peter/Nathan, Nathan/Claire, Peter/Nathan/Claire…guh. Xx And I'm even reading some Sylar/Claire and Sylar/Peter and it's so WRONG but so GOOD…omg… keeps on ranting in a lust-induced haze…and keep reviewing…and…maybe I'll write some more Heroes fic, some Nathan/Peter or Paire or Nathan/Claire…and…mmm….

Anyway, enjoy chapter nineteen!

CHAPTER NINETEEN-

Changed Circumstances

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"I See you, Draven Wildmage," said the Queen of Sentarshadeen, Ashaniel.

Draven wasn't surprised that she already knew that he was here; the elves loved to gossip, (though not always in the way that human's did, when being so cruel towards another person) and news traveled fast in this city, so he had expected the whole of the House of Leaf and Star to know about his arrival, along with two others who may or may not be Severus Snape and Harry Potter.

The may or may not be thing, related to the politeness of elves, and whether or not people chose to be 'Seen'. But that was for another time, and it was things that Draven already knew about quite well.

He bows to her, closing the door softly behind him. She was sitting in one of the sitting rooms, alone at the moment, though Draven knew that her servants, (though that really wasn't what they should be called, as they were not treated like servants in the way that Muggles would think of Butlers and Maids and Wizards/Witches think of House-elves).

"I See you, Ashaniel, Queen of Sentarshadeen, of the House of Leaf and Star, wife and consort to Andoreniel, mother of Sandalon, heir to the throne, and Idalia Wildmage."

It may have seemed like a long way to introduce, but Elven customs were much different, and _much _older, than human ones.

She smiles at him and he takes a seat opposite her, at her gesture to the chair. They sat in comfortable padded chairs with a quite small wooden table in between them. A fire roared a bit farther behind them in the fireplace.

The room was made to look like a surrounding wooded area and it fitted perfectly. It gave the impression of being in the middle of the wood; surrounded by beauty and warmth. It never once seemed false, even while portraying such a kind beauty.

The walls surrounding were a dark green, with hues of brown giving the illusion of trees so magnificently. The fireplace itself was crackling in representation of a tree that looked so real—that you could easily mistake it for a real one. They sat in two wooden chairs, lined with dark green cushions. The small table was wooden, with green lining, elegantly drawn around its frame. The elves did things to match; to harmonize, things did not go miss-matchy.

There was a small chaise in the room as well, dark green with brown cushions, and there was a small bookcase on the right of them, matching the scheme of the room quite well.

All in all, it was a beautiful room; and it was one of the most 'simply' done rooms as well! To elves at least, and Draven had seen quite a few rooms, a few Houses, and had seen nearly all of the Elven cities before…things had went down the way they did. It was something that he was hoping to change, at least some of the things, such as his appearance…although he had gotten rather used to it…

"One would wonder whether a conversation might be brought up, by one who has missed people close to them," started Ashaniel, raising Draven from his reveries. It hadn't been all that long, at least in the World, since Draven had been spelled through the Mirrored Veil, but it could have possibly been longer over here. Maybe. And it was nice to hear Ashaniel's admission of missing them, him, Harry and Severus.

He had gotten very close to Ashaniel, as well as the King and their son and daughter from his time staying here. They were kind, generous, warm, loving, funny, smart and sharp-witted and very likable. Nowhere near cold; though most impressions of royalty would probably make people think that.

No, these were people who were truly working for the good of people, doing what they could to make the world better at large, not just the elves. They all strived to make a harmonious existence, in which all peoples could live together peacefully. Though the news of the Endar—of _them_, had brought back a flood of memories from more than just Draven alone, he knew.

And from Ashaniel's phrase, Draven knew that she was asking—in the politeness of elven ways—about what had happened. Well Draven had a few questions of his own.

Draven leans in slightly, looking around conspiratorially, before whispering; "May I be humanly blunt, Lady Ashaniel? For I have missed my family very much." And he had—for the Elven royalty of the House of Leaf and Star had become family; and that allowed for more bending of the rules here and there—should the occasion permit, of course.

He leans back and she smiles, and a more beautiful woman you would be hard pressed to find—human _or _elven.

"I find that hearing the words of a loved one, come welcome." said Ashaniel.

And that was enough for him; he launches into what had happened the moment that he got hit with that stray spell and fell through the open Mirrored Veil. He told her of the days he had went out, searching for all the exact right places where everyone had died, while Harry and Severus were getting closer to one another, the indecision he had felt, the terror at the thought of having no one and not being able to get back to Sentarshadeen.

He told her every thing he could possibly remember, everything that had gone on that wasn't around him, how the world had changed so drastically. It was as if the time before didn't happen. Except that it _did _happen. And everyone on this side had no memory loss; time had not altered so much.

And at the end he finally came to a question, very blunt by Elven standards; 'Can I be changed back?'

Before she even opened her mouth to speak…he somehow knew that the answer was no.

…And that was okay.

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He was getting close to the House of Leaf and Star when he noticed his sister heading his way. Technically she was the daughter of Ashaniel and Andoreniel, having been born right after she had sacrificed her previous life for the greater good, and in exchange, the Gods of the Wild Magic had given her another life, and another chance to be with Jermayan, whom she loved dearly.

But she was still his sister, through and through, (and Sandalon was like a little brother to him.) and had her memories of her time before.

"You've heard the news too, brother mine?" Idalia asked. She of course knew all the elven ways and customs, and did them well, but when it was just them to, or a few other closest to them, then she allowed her guard to be down.

He nods and stretches out slightly, smiling at her.

"Of course I have," he said amused. "News travels faster than anything else in the city."

He crosses his arms as he looks at her. "So, are you alone? Or is someone else coming with you to the House of Leaf and Star?" He raises a hand to forestall her answer. "I know, I know. Don't say anything; you know that _I _know that is where you are going off to."

She shakes her head, looking through her black hair at her brother.

"I expect that Jermayan and Ancaladar will be along shortly," she said, putting on a slight air, though her brother could see through any of that kind of stuff, having known her as long as he had. "As I expect Vestakia and Shalkan to be right behind _you_," She points and smirks. He looks around behind him, and she was right; they were standing right behind him.

"Took you long enough to notice us, Knight-Mage," Shalkan said, smugly.

Kellen groans.

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After finally managing to make themselves (though Severus would have said; 'make _Harry _presentable'), they were off to get to the House of Leaf and Star. Harry found himself a bit lost at first, as things could blend in so easily that you didn't know what was what the elves had made, or what Nature had made.

So they walked around for a few minutes. The elves around them ignoring them politely, as elves did, until Severus finally stalks up to one of them, an older man, and talks quietly with them. Harry supposed that Severus was using all his skills to speak in the manner which elves were used to, which probably wasn't hard for the older man; those kind of skills seemed to be integrated into the man.

They walked around for a few minutes, then come and find the House of Leaf and Star, ready to walk on the doorstep…and noticing that they were not alone.

Two men and two women were standing there, talking to one another, until they notice them looking over towards their direction.

The first man was obviously a human; he had shoulder length brown hair which was streaked with blonde, and was tied back. He wore all green, matching all over. A green tunic over an undertunic, green trousers and green ankle high boots. He was obviously in good shape, he had a good definition of muscles, not overly so, but he was quite well built, tall and handsome, smiling white against his tan.

The second man was in one word; _gorgeous. _He had long white hair which went all the way to the end of his back. He had pointed ears like the elves, but his eyes were shaped a bit differently than that of the humans or the elves. His eyes were a green the exact shade of the human man's clothing. He wore all white which seemed to shimmer, a long white tunic, with matching white undertunic with a slight tinge of gold around the collar. His breeches were white also and he wore knee high white boots.

One of the women was elven; long black hair that seemed to be the absolute norm of the elven people, although she had violet eyes, instead of the black that all the others had. She wore a long violet dress which matched her eyes and had two bracelets on each arm which jangled each time she moved her hands. She wore long calf high boots the same shade of violet as her dress.

The other woman well…she looked…_different_.

She had cherry red skin and curly red hair that was the same shade. Tiny golden horns went back from her forehead. She had dark eyes, and her ears were slightly pointed. She also wore buckskins, standing out even more against the similarities of the others with her. She was quite beautiful, though she looked like a…a _demon_.

Bloody hell.

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Ron looks over at Hermione, hoping that she trusted all of this as much as he hoped she did. He believed what had happened to them all, as amazing as it was, though people being resurrected was amazing enough, but he was unsure about this spell thing. What if they were not all strong enough anymore for it? Even with the additions of Harry's parents there were still risks…

Hermione squeezes his hand and he turns to her, smiling, halfway hopefully. She always had the answers, nearly all the time anyway, and whatever she somehow didn't know, then she could find just the right book and find it.

The spell that Dumbledore wanted everyone to learn, and for them to use, was a very old spell, dating back to the time of the four Founders of Hogwarts. There seemed to be more of a story there, but Dumbledore was being close-mouthed on that particular subject. He had said something about them being involved; but he had been deliberately vague about it; even _he _could see that.

They were all in Dumbledore's study still, though much of the furniture had been moved against the wall, so as to give them more room to work the spell. Dumbledore was looking over a couple of _very _old looking books with the others in the room, with the exception of Sirius and Remus, who were talking to one another quietly in a corner.

He and Hermione were sitting on the small sofa, which was now up against the wall near the fireplace. Hermione was looking through an old looking book and making notes every so often.

He felt out of place with all the more experienced wizards and witches in the room, Hermione definitely a part of the group, though she was the youngest in the room, she was certainly one of the smartest and magically able. It sometimes made him feel inferior and felt out of place with everything, and especially with her, although the experiences as of late, with the Deluminator and getting Harry out of the lake, going down into the Chamber of Secrets…it was filling him with a new confidence, and he hoped that it would help them all, in whatever they had to do.

He starts to turn towards Hermione, a question on his lips, when a flash of light in the corner catches his eye. A blue light, a _familiar _blue light. He turns towards its direction and knew that he wasn't the only one who did as well. His eyebrows rise as he stares in the middle of the room.

The blue light shimmers for a moment, and a shape of a body was seen, before the light literally shatters in front of their eyes, flying in all directions, but disappearing before it hit anyone, a final burst of light causing them to close their eyes.

As he opens his eyes, he turns back to the source of the commotion and in place of the shimmering blue light, now sees a shivering, naked, blonde haired man lying on the floor, unconscious.

He heard a quickening of breath near them and manages to turn his head from the amazing sight in front of him, and sees Dumbledore looking at the man; as shocked as Ron could ever remember seeing Dumbledore, looking as if he seen a ghost. And he _did _look familiar to Ron, though he couldn't remember why…

…and he had a feeling that whatever was the cause of this; Draven had nothing to do with it whatsoever.

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DA: Yay! Going on chapter twenty soon! And I am also working on a couple of Heroes fics as well and also…um…

Ron: You're thinking about Sylar right now.

DA: blush What?! No I'm not!

Snape: You're a bad liar, why even _Potter _can see that!

Harry: Thanks much, Severus, thanks a lot.

DA: I am all obsessed with Heroes I know…and with Sylar…not to mention Sylar/Claire (which is so very wrong, which means it's great!), Paire, Peter/Nathan, Nathan/Claire, Claire/Peter/Nathan, Sylar/Peter, and…um…mmm…

Harry: to the readers You might want to go now, this'll take awhile.

DA: keeps rambling on to herself and huddles in a Sylar dedicated little shrine

Snape: shakes his head You scare even me.

Voldemort: nods solemnly

Ron, Hermione, Snape, and Harry: AHH!

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	20. Magical Workings

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: see chapters one and sixteen.

Summary: The identity of the new man is revealed; plans are made in the House of Leaf and Star as Harry and Severus enter its doors with new companions; new to them anyway. Draven feels the pressure of the resurrection magic at last; the spell to open the Mirrored Veil reveals more than people expected, power intensifies…and backfires.

Pairings: HP/SS, DC/?, RW/HG, etc.

A/N: Excuse me while I drool in a Sylar induced haze. Well that and all the Petrellicest, and the Paire, and the Nathan/Claire and the Claire/Nathan/Peter and…well, anyway! I am also in the works of a couple of Heroes fics, but never fear! I will continue on with this story until its finish. mumble Now excuse me while I go off and dream a little…

Wow, something other than Spuffy is getting me to like some het (other than some Fruits Basket and stuff)… (Darn Sylar/Claire…) I still love my slash and yaoi more though; that hasn't changed since I happened across Return of the Demon by Solitaire and Xpine…

CHAPTER TWENTY-

Magical Workings

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"Gellert," breathed Dumbledore, looking astounded and sounding breathless as he looked upon the man on the floor. The man lie there, unconscious and naked, his body shivering, and Dumbledore seems to get it together; he grabs his wand out of his robe pocket and waves it in the unconscious man's direction.

The man gets clothed in a set of magnificent looking dark purple robes with black trim, and on the back of them was the sign of the Deathly Hallows, a circle with a triangle in it, and a line down the triangle's middle.

Dumbledore walks forwards towards the man and kneels down and looks at him, his brows furrowed.

"What does this mean?" he mutters, as if to himself. He turns the man over and runs a hand down the side of the man's face, frowning. "Is this a final gift? A curse? What is the meani—"

He doesn't finish the sentence as a large blue light comes out of the man and shatters into pieces, and as it does; the man opens his eyes with a gasp.

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Plans were in motion and were moving steadily. Not as quickly as he would like, but good enough. Patience was something that needed to be had; move too quickly and the plan would be shot and they could not resurrect Voldemort. He would be their Lord, their King, be what Queen Savilla—with such promise, skill, and cunning—couldn't be.

He had been born a human but had evolved quickly into something indefinitely better; he would be what they needed. All of the remaining Endarkened had rallied around Lord Voldemort, and welcomed the additions of the Death Eaters to their folds, for in these humans were of a spiritual kin; those who understood the magnificence of the art of torture.

Some of the Endarkened had specifically joined the Death Eater ranks in the search of finding the means of returning Lord Voldemort back to life. Which also meant going to the other world, by means of the Mirrored Veil, and this time there were no meddling four Founders hindering them.

Those four had been a thorn in the side of all the Endarkened, especially when they had combined their magicks with those of the cursed Elven in the Light world. But they were history now—literally dust in the earth's soil, unlike the Endarkened; for they lived forever on, unless by some grave misfortune.

The Light would pay…oh yes, it would.

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They entered the House of Leaf and Star, the majestic beauty was so profound that Harry couldn't even begin to find words of its wondrousness. He gazes at everything with such a look of awe that the others looked at him amusedly. Even Severus had a semi-hard time to hide the emotions he was feeling. Harry only really could tell because he had a link to the man, other than that, the man was nearly closed off, barely showing anything in the eyes.

But to someone like Harry, who had experience with dealing with the man, he could see the emotions flickering through the man. He felt a love for the man suddenly that it filled his heart; not that he didn't already love the man, he knew he did, but there was just something about seeing Severus' walls come down and for the man to learn that it was okay to show emotion and let people in.

Severus glances at him, an unspoken communication flies between them, feelings instead of thoughts, but these feelings were just as clear as if they were spoken words. Harry smiles at him and feels a leap of joy when Severus smiles back.

They reach a door and the man, Kellen, opens the door, bowing his head slightly and murmuring; 'Welcome with home and hearth.' (Which Harry learned later was one of the shortest of the elven greetings.) They enter, with Severus giving a bow of his head, which Harry quickly emulates. Harry looks around the room and comes across such a beauty that he finds his breath taken away.

Her look was of true beauty, and he could see quite clearly the elegance, style and strength that made her the elven Queen. Queen Ashaniel was a beauty that no one could deny…even if you weren't into women. Beauty could be appreciated by all.

She smiles at them all and Harry felt himself relax. She was the epitome of regality, but she did it with such poise and grace in such a way that you didn't feel intimidated by her.

"Welcome friends," she says smiling. "A handsome young man has just been talking about the most amazing things. Perhaps one would be inclined to add something to the conversation."

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Draven watches as they all take seats and Severus takes the initiative, talking to Ashaniel in a way that all elven people would be proud, even the strictest of a…certain city. He was glad that everything was getting told; there were things that he had not seen and been through, after all, so there were things that he could not tell Ashaniel, but now she could get all the information.

He smiles at Kellen who gives him a quick grin. Quite cute actually, he thought absently.

He then moves his smile to Idalia, then to Shalkan, Jermayan and Ancaladar. Finding the spell that allowed Shalkan and Ancaladar to take humanoid forms, had not been that easy, it had been Kellen who had stumbled upon an old book in Ysterilpoerin, which also happened to be the strictest elven city, holding onto the older elven customs with an iron grip; after all, the customs in Sentarshadeen and the other cities was much more lenient than the older customs.

It could be a long and tedious process talking to elves in general; you could be in the middle of an argument and not know it, or not know that you even lost. Smiles would be had, and the change of the subject would not seem abrupt, the elf in question (that you were speaking to) would just enquire politely about the weather or the like. Weather was a popular topic with elves, and not just the bland kind that was familiar with humans.

With the elves it could range to seasonal weather, weather in a particular region, how weather had been in years past in certain areas and whether or not they would repeat themselves. It could be tedious at times, but it could also be good. And it could serve a greater purpose as well, like knowing what kind of weather would come up when you were in the heat of battle. A knowledge which could make or break an army in battle, something that could make all the difference.

But that was enough about weather, even in his own thoughts. Now was the time to listen to Ashaniel, for she must have some kind of plan. She didn't say anything to him, he knew, because she wanted to wait for everyone else.

"Forgive me; but I believe that this is a situation which haste may be used, so I am going to speak frankly, by your leave," said Ashaniel to everyone in the room, bowing her head slightly.

Draven listens intently, blinking suddenly as his vision blurs for a moment. A moment of weakness overtakes him but leaves in the next moment.

"To start off, we need allies. We have our elven people, but many were lost in the battle over sixteen years ago and we do not repopulate as quickly as humans do, not nearly as much so we have had few children grow up during this tumultuous time, although we _are _seeing a steady grow in the fertility of our women…but to the matter at hand—"

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Gellert (Grindewald!) was brought into Albus' rooms by Albus himself, laying him down on the bed and calling for Madam Pomfrey, telling her to keep a watch on him. He comes back into the study, seeing the faces of the eager, wondering what was going on.

"He is settled in and Poppy is looking after him for the time being, which lets us get back to the matter at hand." said Dumbledore, calmly.

"But…but…" said Ron. Dumbledore turns to him, hands behind his back and looking as serene as he always did, though much, much younger. Ron turns a little red under the scrutiny, feeling as if he was eleven years old again. "I just…that's…Grindewald right? So like, what do we do with him? Is he good or bad? How did he get back? Was that Draven's doing or what?"

Dumbledore pondered for a moment, looking intently into the roaring fireplace as he knew that everyone in that room was waiting for an answer. He didn't have them all, but he had many. And some he would even tell them.

"Well, to answer your many questions Mister Weasley," said Albus, continuing to look into the fire. "Yes, that is Gellert. Although it has been such a long time since I have seen him like that, as you all know that I knew him. We will let him be for the moment and let him rest. I do not know if he is…good or bad, as you said, but I believe in my heart that he is for the Light, not like I believed when I was young, but the believing and knowing that comes with age, and perhaps a little wisdom. From what I could gather on such a short doing, it had to do with the power of the Deathly Hallows. I don't think Draven did this, more like Draven was the medium which the Wild Magic used to do this, though I do not know why."

"The Deathly Hallows were made by a Wildmage, so long ago, and gave them to the Perevell brothers; but with a price. The price was death as you all know, that was the price for such very high things. To say that Death himself truly came after them…well that is another story entirely, and no one can say if it was true or not, but…as I was saying…the Wild Magic has been using Draven, since before Draven came around the first time, or that is to say; when Severus and I went to get him. The Mirrored Veil is not only the gatekeeper between worlds, but also the catalyst which keeps the different types of magic from connecting too much with one another, though it seems now that a trickle of Wild Magic had come through this world somehow, and acted through Draven to resurrect those that It saw fit…if there are any adverse affects…we will see."

He turns back to them all, finding them silent; listening, or else deep in thought.

"You asked me if there was a way to get through the Mirrored Veil and I said that there was not. What I should have said was; 'There hadn't been a way for over a thousand years because the spell and workings had not been found. But they have been found.'"

He rummages through his robe pocket and brings out a small book which looked quite fragile and old; he walks over and hands it to Hermione, who looked a bit surprised. He takes a seat, facing everyone and lets her look over it for a moment.

"It is over a thousand years old," said Albus. "I have done many spells to keep it from fragmenting, but it was already quite well protected before I even did anything; the owner of this book knew what he was doing—"

Hermione gives a little gasp.

"What is it, 'Mione?" asked Ron, brows furrowing.

"This belonged to Salazar Slytherin!"

There were many gasps. Albus nods at her to keep going. She turns to one of the first pages.

"'This is the record of Salazar Gabriel Slytherin. I have left this record in a way that can be read by all, so no matter the age, it can be understood by all. This includes everything, my life, my love and the record of our discovering something incredible; the Mirrored Veil. Me, Godric, Rowena and Helga have used our powers to open it and see what the mysteries held in store for us. We found something wonderful. The elven Queen, and King, has shown us the Wilde Magick, and with our combined efforts we have done and learned many things. We have all shown each other our different magicks and we have made lifelong friendships that will last beyond our mortal shells. With the wars we have seen, and which Rowena has foreseen, I have left many things, including a way for the Mirrored Veil to be opened. Only for the good; for I, who will have his name dragged through the mud, am only for the good and have only been for the good. My Chamber was designed to keep my and other secrets inside, that is what the basilisk is for; now read this spell and keep it in your mind and heart and it will show you the way…'"

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Ashaniel starts to speak, but stops as she looks upon Draven. He looked deathly pale and his eyes dim as they stare out.

He falls to the floor and a bright blue light starts to leave him.

That was when the screams started.

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DA: Yay for plot! I am steadily moving on with this, I had been a little discouraged, but I have gained a new appreciation for this as I figured out what Albus was going to tell them. I am happy with the little Salazar twist because I always believed—

Snape: Quiet. You're giving away more plot, you twit.

DA: Aw, your so snarky! xD

Snape: . 

Harry: Isn't he? XD

DA: You all seem to be taking Voldie's random appearance well.

Snape: You're a slash/yaoi loving, perverted crazy woman!

DA:blinks…I'm not crazy. D

Harry: to the readers Look for the next chapter or she'll keep rambling on!

DA: Oh! And I started another Heroes fic and this time it is…rambles incoherently

Snape, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Voldemort: sigh

Snape, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lily, James, Sirius and Remus: AHHHH! run off

Voldemort: scratches his bald head Now why does that keep happening…?

DA: continues to ramble on, oblivious And I'll probably write another one shot soon and…


	21. Insights into the man named

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: D.A Cirle

Disclaimer/Etc: see chapters one and sixteen.

Summary: Draven deals with the repercussions of the magic leaving him; Ashaniel tells Harry, Severus and the others of a time a thousand years ago, when her ancestors knew four special people who came from their world, more is learned in Salazar's book; indeed much more than anyone ever expected. _Much _more.

Pairings: HP/SS, DC/?, RW/HG, etc. Mentions of…well, you'll see.

A/N: I am all Heroes obsessed right now, especially Kensei/Hiro. Mmm…or Sylaire, or Nathan/Peter or Paire or…

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE-

Insights into the man named Salazar Slytherin.

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They all quickly spring up, and move into action. Harry and Ashaniel were on either side of the screaming young man, who was unconscious, though he was screaming. Severus looks at Harry, who was looking to him for an answer, and to Ashaniel who gave him a look and a nod; letting him know that she was looking to him in this situation, for he must assuredly know more than she.

"Harry, Lady Ashaniel, I need you to hold him down for me, keep him from struggling." They both nod and grab onto Draven's arms. His legs were still kicking out though and Harry puts some of his weight on one of the legs and it calms down. Ashaniel does the same after seeing Harry do it.

Severus removes his wand from his pocket and kneels down on the floor with them. He wasn't altogether sure just what was happening, but he could figure things out quickly, and he had the feeling that the blue light, the same color from the resurrections, he knew, had finished what it was meant to do and left Draven.

"Do…do you think that this has anything to do with the wild magic?" gasped Harry, moving off of Draven as he stops kicking out, and Ashaniel does the same. "I mean…that's what it seemed to me…that light." He looks down at Draven who was pale, and still unconscious, breathing a bit labored for a few moments before settling down. "D'you think he'll be okay?"

Ashaniel stands up gracefully and retakes her seat as soon as they get Draven situated onto a transfigured bench. It seemed a bit strange to Severus, using his wand in a place like this. It seemed to…enhance its properties, almost. Like a strengthening draught had been placed directly into his very magical being and made everything shine more. But it had to be this place. This was a place full of magical wonders, and this was just one place! What would the other places be like? Would his magic feel as strongly in other places? Or was it simply because he was enchanted with this place's beauty and magnificence, that he felt like he was well…_magic._

Such a strong feeling was a strange kind of emotion for him; he had been used to feeling as he always had; strong, but bitter. Triumphant, but emotionally scarred. Snarkyness but nearly overwhelming sadness sometimes. Love, but an overwhelming hatred.

But finding his Bond with Harry, knowing how much he loved him, falling for the Golden Boy of all people…that had changed his perspective in a few ways. Not that he wasn't still the snide, arrogant, snarky, man that he always had been, no, he was still all those things, but for those people who truly mattered…

He looks at Harry. For those who he truly cared for, he could show a side of himself that he hadn't been able to show since Lily Potter had died, only truly able to show his whole self to one person. Albus had been there closer than anyone since he had lost his closest friend, Lily, and had done all he could for him, he knew. Even if the man had been the master manipulator, he had done it for all the right reasons. Albus probably knew so much more than he ever told him, or anyone else. He had quite the reason to suspect so. And he wondered just how much of him and Harry being together had truly surprised the man.

Just like Albus held the secrets of the Horcruxes back, about Harry having a Horcrux on his forehead, just like he had held back so many things until just the 'right moment', Albus also knew something of the Founders, something which no other Headmaster or Headmistress knew of. Something which he only told Severus…the truth behind Gryffindor and Slytherin's fight that shook the foundations of Hogwarts irrevocably.

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Albus sat quietly in one of the corners, tending to the unconscious Grindewald while Ron and Hermione poured over the book. Well, really, while Hermione poured over the book and Ron looked at the book at his own pace, looking to the girl for answers. But he knew that he would be getting more information and knowledge by asking Hermione, then trying to read it for himself, because although it was in modern script (as the spell Slytherin had put on it was supposed to do), there was still all this sort of spell talk that was over his head and was much more Hermione's sort of thing, the sort of thing that she lived for.

It was her driven passion, and he loved a little bit more each time for it. He knew so much about her, but then he would see this inner fire in her that never ceased to amaze him.

She gives a little gasp and he turns to look at her.

"I don't believe it!"

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She couldn't believe her eyes, but it was on the written pages in front of her eyes, telling her the truth; a truth so amazing that she was actually flabbergasted.

Ron looks over her shoulder at the book and felt his eyes go big in his head. He reads over the passage;

I have fallen in love with him. I never meant to; I never meant to get so close to him. But there is just something about Godric that stirs my blood so. I have never known a feeling this strongly before and I fear I could grow mad from want. And he then tells me that he loves _me_. For so long I had hidden my true feelings behind scorn and ridicule of Muggles and Muggleborn, all the while only disliking them because Eriessa, his lover at the time, was a Muggleborn. I could not stand to see them together, so I created a false air upon my person. Better for him to think that I disliked Muggles and Muggleborns when the truth was I just hated her because she had him.

But now that time is past and I finally have him within my arms. I…think we might be soulmates. I just feel this intense shock everytime we touch and it seems like I can almost get an insight into his mind, leaving me feeling rather bewildered.

We have been working on a rather interesting device; Godric, Rowena, Helga and I. Rowena decided to call it a 'Time-Turner'. It was her idea to make such a device, though what we can do with traveling through time is uncertain as of yet, or how it can play a part in the whole of the world. Helga made a remark about not wanting to test Time, afraid of changing things irrevocably. But we have all promised that we shall not mess with Time's strands and she has continued to aid us in its creation.

"They made the time-turner!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione glances at him for a moment then nods and turns back to the page.

Rowena just came back from her daily walk in the Black Forest and said that she felt a strange magical presence coming from deep into the wood. Not many people would venture that far, but she is very skilled and can take care of herself, and in being so skilled, she is quite sensitive to the slightest changes in magical auras, or ones that can appear just suddenly. I hurry off with her, Godric, and Helga, warding the school with extra spells just for precautionary measures, and we go into the Black Forest. A few Centaurs come up and greet us, a usual occurrence whenever one of us travels through here, partly because we help to keep the darkest things from taking refuge in here. We get to the spot where she said she felt it and I felt it quite clearly, and as we all stood there, a shimmering happens and a veil the likes I have never seen stood before us, showing a completely different place then the one we were standing in.

That was the beginning to us meeting the elves…

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"Are you...I mean…I confess a surprise at hearing this news, it is an interesting thing to learn." said Harry, surprising Severus at how he managed to turn that question around into a statement.

Ashaniel smiles and gives a little nod, running her hand through Draven's hair, his even breathing sounding much better than the labored one that they had heard only moments earlier.

"Slytherin and Gryffindor being together, I must confess, is a new thing for me to hear…"Harry continued, looking quite shocked at the news. He turns to look at Severus who didn't seem fazed at all by the news.

"I must admit that this is no surprise to me," admitted Severus. "Albus told me awhile back, I just didn't expect that they came _here_, then again I didn't even know that they knew of this Veil, or had gotten through…"

They turn to Ashaniel who was waiting patiently.

"I was not here, of course, when they were here. But my ancestors were and they left records of what happened, as well as a copy of something like a journal that Salazar left to our keeping, a copy from his original which I suppose must still be at your school…"

She grabs a book on the side table that neither one noticed being there a few moments ago, and opens it up, handing it to them.

"Read this, and then we can begin on where we need to; how to stop _them_."

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A/N: A bit late coming, I know. Been all focused on writing Heroes fics. Also writing some Kensei/Hiro that I want to get posted to the swordmates fic-a-thon over at livejournal, swordmates being a community (Kensei/Hiro) which I am proud to be apart of.

I will finish this story; however, it just might take a little bit of time. But that is to be expected for any story, any good story anyway.

Keep reading and reviewing!

(And if you can find any sites with any Kensei/Hiro fics let me know!!)

--D.A


	22. Battle Preperations

Harry Potter and the Mirrored Veil

By: PhoenixJustice

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own the Obsidian Trilogy, they are owned by J.K Rowling (Harry Potter) and Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory (The Obsidian Trilogy). I only own this story and make no profit from this.

Warning: M for sexual content, language, violence, slash, etc.

Feedback/Archive: Feedback is good. Email me to archive, I am very agreeable.

Pairing: HP/SS, DC/?, RW/HG, AD/GG, etc.

Setting: After the end of Deathly Hallows and When Darkness Falls

Summary: Plans are made and more things are learned about the Endarkened and their plans, the biggest which is to resurrect Lord Voldemort.

A/N: PAIRE!!!! Peter/Claire! Milo, who plays Peter Petrelli and Hayden, who plays Claire, finally admitted that they are going out. They are going out?!?! so very super giddy right now Paire, Paire, Paire! OMG!!!...Okay, I'm good... ... ... OMG! Paire is not my Heroes OTP but it is one of them, (along with Kensei/Hiro, which is my current Heroes OTP, Nathan/Peter, Peter/Nathan/Claire, Sylaire, Matt/Mohinder...) and so I am so very happy right now! Mmm...

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Battle Preparations

Draven had awoken and was now sitting in another room with Kellen, Idalia, Jermayan, Ancaladar, and Shalkan as well as Queen Ashaniel, Severus and Harry. Harry and Severus had poured over Salazar Slytherin's book in amazement, learning so many things that they didn't expect of the man, some which Severus had already known as well as things that surprised him.

Now they were all ready to try and prepare themselves. A knock at the door sounds and a few elves file into the room, every single one of them looking elegant and beautiful; all wearing separate colors, but all had the same black hair and eyes, with the exception of one, a elf with long white hair and was the only elf in the room who showed any kind of age, he also had faint black marks up and down his skin that was visible to see.. These elves were the council that aided the elven king, Andoreniel.

The elven king entered after the council, followed by his and Ashaniel's son, Sandalon. The elven prince was quite young in elven years, as elves could live over one thousand years, being only twenty-three years old, but he had learned much and had been training in the House of Sword and Shield since he was 12 and had become quite the swordsman, training under the tutelage of Master Belesharon, an elf who was even older than Morusil (who was the elder elf here and was also Ashaniel's uncle) but had not showed any sign of slowing down in his old age, and seemed in as good a shape as he ever did.

Sandalon was tall and held a quiet kind of strength, for elves did not get very big. They got muscles like humans did, but they did not get as big. Theirs was more of a wiry looking strength. The elven prince had admired Kellen from the first moment he met him and now their relationship had evolved over time to that of brothers and he loved his brother very much, as much as he and Kellen both loved their sister Idalia.

Idalia had just been Kellen's sister once, years ago, but when she gave up the ultimate sacrifice, her life, for the greater good of the world, the Gods of the Wild Magic had given her a gift and allowed her to be reborn, this time as an elf, Sandalon's sister. So now she didn't have to worry about Jermayan having to live life without her after she lived her remaining span of years, for humans were short lived, but elves were very long lived and mated for life, so they had so very long together.

Not to mention Ancaladar, the dragon was Jermayan's Bonded, making Jermayan the first Elven Mage in over one thousand years. When a dragon bonded with someone, in exchange for the Mage granted the limitless power of a dragon (though the Mage had the dragon to draw power upon, they still had to rely on their own power to activate it), the dragon would tie their life with their Bonded's and would die when they did. That was the price for having no Mageprice to pay for their magic, for all magic had a Price that must be paid, in one way or the other.

Ancaladar had also joined with Idalia and Jermayan and could take a humanoid form, more akin to the elf in looks than a human, although with pointier ears than an elf. Ancaladar had been given the gift of a different form from the War Mage, Draven Cirle.

Draven had also given the same gift to Shalkan, the unicorn who had a notorious sweet tooth and a penchant for gossip (that all unicorns did) and who had originally come to Kellen's company when Kellen had been fleeing from his old home city of Armathalieh, having gotten banished for practicing Wild Magic, which they had thought was evil (at the time at least) and had to get out of the boundaries of the city before the Outlaw Hunt set out at dawn.

He had called the Wild Magic to help him and Shalkan came to him, they didn't manage to get out of the boundaries in time, even though the unicorn was (as all unicorns were) very, very fast, the land was just too immense to get through in a matter of hours and so they had to fight.

Kellen and Shalkan had fought off the first pack of stone hounds, animated to do a Mage's bidding, and the second and third (although by the city's own rules, there was only supposed to be one pack sent).

Many, many other things happened along the way as well and Shalkan had gotten very close to Kellen. And now Draven had given the same gift to Shalkan and he, Kellen, and Vestakia were also now together.

Unusual to be sure, but there was nothing wrong with it, and everyone was happy and content, so everything was fine.

Everyone takes their seats and get themselves settled down. Tea gets poured and a discussion of the unusual ripeness of the vilya fruit and it seemed that the next seasons would be even sweeter. Weather was a lively discussion as well, it seemed that it was not as cold as seasons past, though the wind was quite lively these past few weeks, but it looked as though the Winter Running Dance would not have as much snow to work with, unless the weather unexpectedly altered its course within the next couple of weeks.

These things might seem to be useless and dull to some humans, but elves did not hurry. Living for over one thousand years gave you a perspective that others did not see, on the flip side, it was good to be around (certain) humans for they gave a different perspective and allowed you to see another side which you could not see otherwise.

After the talk of tea and weather, Andoreniel turns to look at the new additions to their city.

"If we have perhaps, not talked exceedingly long for our guests, then we can continue on and talk of other things." said the elven king. "One observes that there are agents of the Wild Magic, Knight-Mages that have dealt with many matters of all such things as the Endarkened."

At this bland statement, Kellen stands up, obviously knowing what was asked of him--though nothing had been asked in the usual way that a couple of them in the room were used to--as he was the only Knight-Mage around (in fact the first Knight-Mage born in a thousand years and the only Knight-Mage so far since then, no others have come), though it was possible that another could manifest, but Knight-Mage's only came when there was dire need, as Kellen's power manifested when the Endarkened were starting their campaign in the world of Light.

Kellen bows to everyone in turn, bowing to the King and Queen last, as was courtesy.

"As a Knight-Mage, I am afforded many abilities that others do not have. And also, as a human--I am granted an amount in leniency in my words, for it is known that humans are hasty creatures and do not usually take much time to dwell as the elven do. I have fought many battles against the Endarkened in their bid to override us and destroy all the things of Light. Their power had been broken nineteen years ago when my--and Sandalon's--sister, Idalia, sacrificed herself for the greater good in order to break the Endarkened's hold on our world." said Kellen, and though he begged for a reprieve in his words, since he was as a human a 'hasty creature', he sounded equally as elegant and polite in his words that all the other elves did.

"From many meetings that we Wildmages of Sentarshadeen," Kellen continued, glancing at Idalia, Draven, and Jermayan, who looked back in return, all seeming to understand something unsaid. "Have had with each other and with our Draconic and Unicorn allies," at this he looks at Ancaladar and Shalkan, both of whom were still in their humanoid forms, looking exquisitely beautiful in black and white, respectively. Though these were shades of black and white that the greatest human seamstress could not make on their best day. The black seemed to glow from within and brought out shades of the darkest blue from both the fabric and the hair of the dragon.

And Shalkan--Shalkan shimmered. The white had a soft glow to it that brought out the deep green of the unicorn's eyes. "we have gathered that the few remaining Endarkened are all rallying together under the former Prince of Shadow Mountain's...son," At this, Vestakia looked stricken.

She was the product of a Wildmage mother and yes, a Demon father. Zyperis, the Prince of Shadow Mountain had lain with Vestakia's mother, Virgivet, who didn't know what the Demon Prince had been until it was too late, for Demons could take any form that they wished to, to better confuse the populace in the Light world and cause mayhem and chaos. When Virgivet found out who Zyperis was, she took a necklace of braided unicorn hair with her--for it was known that the touch of a unicorn could hurt, and kill, Demons--and when the hair touched his skin, he transformed to his true form and disappeared.

By this time, Virgivet found out she was with child. With the aid of her older sister Patanene, she took a flock of goats and they headed for the High Hills, a hard life to live in, but there was no other option; if it was found out that she was with child by a demon, even by accident--for she had not known him as a demon--then she would be condemned to death, her and her child both.

She, as a powerful Wildmage, asked the Wild Magic for help, but didn't specify her price, for the more specific price you asked for, the greater the price you would have to pay in return.

The Wild Magic gave her this choice;

Either the child could be hers in mind but their father's in body, or the child could be their father's in mind and hers and body. Either way, she would give up twenty of her remaining years as a price. She chose the hardest choice, but one she knew she had to make; her child would be human in mind, yet a demon in body. Vestakia grew up into an incredible girl and also gained a second boon from the Wild Magic. Whenever there was a Demonic presence near, she would grow sicker and even sicker as the presence got closer.

Later, after she meets Kellen, Jermayan and Shalkan up in the High Reaches--after they helped her from a man who was trying to steal her goats and to hurt her--her ability deepens and she could now sense any kind of demonic taint, not just that of a Demon itself. It was this ability that helped them defeat the Endarkened nineteen years ago.

"They are all doing all they can to help bring back the man Tom Riddle, who calls himself Lord Voldemort. We have learned this, and have even been able to use Seeing on them, thanks to the Wildmage Draven who has driven himself tirelessly on to help us see what we need to see, for none of us have been able to see anything, save him."

As soon as he stops speaking, Draven stands, again there was that underlined and unspoken understanding that seemed to take place. Draven, as Kellen had, bows to everyone in turn.

"Thank you kindly, Kellen Knight-Mage," Draven sounded much more serious than he had before, his tone much different than what Severus or Harry had heard before, except perhaps, in those visions he had sent, telling them that the Endarkened and the Death Eaters were trying to resurrect Lord Voldemort. "As was said by Kellen Knight-Mage; I have been working very vigilantly on seeing anything that I possibly can that can help us against the Endarkened and to keep the Dark Lord from being resurrected. I have seen many things that have aided us and have helped to make plans, but I fear that there is so much more unseen that we have to truly fear."

Draven rubs his face with his hands very briefly. Upon closer examination, there were shadows under the young man's eyes, eyes which seemed much older than what they were and he looked quite weary. That could also be due in part, to other Wildmage things. Doing a spell of the Wild Magic asked for some personal energy as well as Mageprice. He could have also been under some unpaid mageprices, for not all the mageprices were asked for immediately--some things were asked in advance for things to come, so it was entirely possible.

Jermayan starts to stand, but Draven shakes his head and Jermayan sits back down, though he didn't look entirely happy with that.

"They rally around the Dark Lord; they believe that he can be, is/will be what their Queen and Prince were not. And although the son of the former Prince of Shadow Mountain could take the throne for himself, he believes himself unready and also undeserving of it right now; he would...much rather continue like he has been and torture the beings of Light and then get himself truly in the position of Prince. He would much rather be in the back, helping to pull the strings--all the while doing the things that he likes, maiming, torturing, killing,--than to be the head of everything himself."

"He loves, as do the remaining Endarkened, the ideals of...Lord Voldemort. They believe that he can give them the winning edge that they have not had after all this time, especially because he has other resources and different power than their predecessors. He also has other creatures and other kinds of magic at his disposal. Giants, werewolves--the ones who chose to join him anyway, for not all are evil, vampires--again, only the ones who chose to join him, as not all of them did. Dementors are in all likelihood one of the worst ones, if not the worst because of their ability to suck out a person's soul with their Kiss."

The elves looked grim at this news, but not altogether surprised--it seemed as if they had heard much of this already and it was entirely possible that they had, wanting to hear things from different people and different angles, to try and figure out more plans.

"And all sorts of other gruesome things, some which we do not really know of yet and there is another thing; if the Dark Lord...if Voldemort gets resurrected, then he will probably also invest in Darkmagery and that would be nearly as bad as him getting resurrected--Darkmages gain their power from pain, torture, violence, murder...every bad and evil thing imaginable--and one we know would please Voldemort to no end..."

His shoulders droop visibly and this time Jermayan stands and firmly, but as polite as he could, makes him take a seat. He turns to look at everyone and he too, bows as Draven and Kellen and did before him.

"I am naught but a humble Elven Mage that hopes that his words will be heard and will be listen to thoughtfully before judgment is places upon them." said Jermayan. "I think it would be fruitful--as I and the other Wildmages have discussed--if our first course of action is to go to Severus, Harry, and Draven's world. It seems, as from what we have learned, that it might be perhaps easier to find out more things that we need to, as well as the fact that in most likely probability that they will have to go over to the Other side to resurrect Voldemort, as his remains are still there. We do not know all of the secrets of Darkmagery, this is true, but the Gods of Leaf and Star seem to be pointing us in that direction."

As Jermayan sits, there was a silence for a few moments, letting everyone in the room take the time to absorb everything that was said. Harry looked to Severus, wondering if he looked as anxious as he felt, as he tried to hold back so Severus didn't have to feel it. Severus squeezes Harry's hand, surprising him and making him smile. That simple touch calmed him and the look in the older man's eyes made him know that he truly did love him.

What a long way from their first meeting ('Potter! Tell me the difference between asphodel and wormwood'). His mind supplied him 'They are the same plant, also known as Aconite.' He felt Severus' amusement as the man raises a brow.

"Why couldn't you get that right in class, Potter?" said Severus quietly, shaking his head in amusement.

Before Harry could respond, the Elven King did.

"I have heard all you have to say and I thank all of you for your council, it is something which I always treasure; for I know that you do everything with the best interests in your hearts for everything of the Light." said Andoreniel.

"And now I say thus; Jermayan Elven Mage, you and your Bonded's, Idalia and Ancaladar, are to go with you to the Other side." Jermayan nods, as do Andoreniel and Ashaniel's daughter Idalia, and the Elven King turns to Kellen now. "Kellen Knight-Mage, you are to take your Bonded's Vestakia and Shalkan with you to the Other side." All three nod in return. "Draven Phoe-Mage, you will return to the Other side with Severus Snape and Harry Potter. May the grace of Leaf and Star go with you."

Draven stands and bows. "I thank you, Andoreniel. If I may be rather blunt, I would like to imbibe everyone's rings with a spell, of your courtesy." Andoreniel gives a swift nod; he trusted Draven utterly, knowing that the young human was completely of the Light and would do nothing but help. Draven waves his wand and all the rings on the council's fingers grow bright red for a moment before dimming down.

"These will allow you to contact us, and will not fail unless the rings themselves are consumed by fire utterly. This way, the city will not be as unprotected if we are needed in an emergency."

"One could not say thank you enough." said Ashaniel. "Go with Leaf and Star."

Draven nods, bows and turns to the others who would be going with him.

"I've read Salazar's book cover-to-cover." said Draven. "I can get us back through the Veil."

"Let it be so." said Kellen, seeming to take the leader position--and rightly so. "Of your courtesy."

Draven waves his wand once more and mutters an elaborate incantation in Latin and the next thing that everyone sees is the shimmering Mirrored Veil in front of them, before they get drawn into it.

They were heading back home.

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A/N: Wow, that finally got done, woot! I'm happy now. It took a little while; I got stuck right at the part when they were talking of tea and weather. Plus, I have been busy with other work, Kensei/Hiro and Light/L fics, as well as a Light/Ryuk one shot and other stuff as well. But I finally finished this up, so I'm happy. I WILL finish this story, it's just that my brain's been taken over by Kensei/Hiro and Light/L but I like where this is going.

Keep reading and reviewing!

Review I say!!

--PhoenixJustice


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